Stafford: Christ Church
Overview
Grid reference: SJ 920 236
The design of the church blends Neo-Norman and Neo-Early-English features. The west tower is Neo-Norman, of three diminishing stages with a round-headed doorway at the foot having an arch in brick and a roll-moulded arch in stone, the latter carried on nook-shafts with cushion capitals.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, aisled nave, transepts and short apsidal chancel; vestries to north and south of chancel.
Description of Archaeology and History
The original building was designed by G.E. Hamilton and built in 1837-9; to this T.W. Goodward added aisles in 1863; he also added the three-arched opening to the chancel.
Exterior Description
The design of the church blends Neo-Norman and Neo-Early-English features. The west tower is Neo-Norman, of three diminishing stages with a round-headed doorway at the foot having an arch in brick and a roll-moulded arch in stone, the latter carried on nook-shafts with cushion capitals. This stage forms the main porch of the church and is lit by tall round-headed windows to north and south both, like the doorway, provided with hoodmoulds and foliated stops. The intermediate stage has continuous arcading on each face with two blind pancls and two pierced with slit windows. The uppermost stage, below which the clasping buttresses terminate, has a round-headed louvred opening in each face set within three receding orders of brickwork. An embattled parapet sits heavily on the tower, and within it rises a low pyramidal slated roof.
The nave is symmetrical, with the later aisles somewhat camouflaged by the re-use of two Neo-Norman doorways in the west wall. There is no clerestory and the aisle windows are rectangular with lights in Perpendicular style, each individual light ogee-headed with simple tracery above. Each aisle has but one buttress near the midpoint. The transepts, like the west tower, are typical of the earlier building date, with low-pitched roofs and three lancets in the gable walls, the west wall in each case with a further single lancet. From the east wall of the south transept projects a meagre apse of small dimensions added c.1920. The chancel, of proportions similar to the transepts, has three lancets in the south wall above the vestry and a blind north wall above the organ chamber. The apse is polygonal with a trefoil-hoaded lancet in each of the five faces.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
c.1900
The five lancets in the apse show figures of Christ and the Four Evangelists.
Stained Glass
1921
West window of south transept: St. Agnes, 1921, by William Glasby of London
Stained Glass
c.1860
Three south lancets of south transept, grisaille.
Interior
Interior Description
The arcades are ofo two bays supported at the west end by a respond and a free-standing pillar and then by a circular pillar and at the east end by a solid pier which marks also the corner of each transept. The pillars have unadorned capitals and the arches themselves are of brick painted with a narrow band of floral ornament edges of the soffits. At the west end of the nave is a small gallery, and the open timber roof has tie beams and kingposts with supporting struts. Part of the eastern end of the nave is included within the chancel by a simple screen.
The chancel within the screen is lit chiefly by the three lancets in the south wall over a doorway giving access to the vestry. On the north side is an arch opening into the organ chamber, and the tripartite opening of one big arch and two exaggeratedly small arches on which opens to the apse is also an addition of 1863 by Goodward. The pillars supporting these arches are of the same pattern as those of the nave arcades. The apse is fitted as a sanctuary with an altar enclosed by on riddel posts in the "English" manner, and the wall over the chancel arch is painted with a extraordinary fan-like scheme of decoration incorporating four rounels with the symbols of the Evangelists.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
The altar is a plain oak table with a stone mensa inset.
Reredos
1917
The rerodos is of the "English" type, with riddel posts carrying angels; the reredos itself is a wooden panel painted with the Agnus Dei flanked by lilies, c.1917, by Herbert North.
Pulpit
c.1920
The pulpit is an open octagon with arched panels, in painted deal, probably of c.1920 like the screen and rood, also by North.
Lectern
The lectern is a proud eagle of oak.
Font (object)
1863
The font is circular with continuous arcading round the bowl, doubtless contemporary with the 1863 rebuilding.
Organ (object)
1905
The organ is a three-manual instrument with twenty-five speaking stops by Vincent of Sunderland.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SJ 920 236
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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