Kensington: Christ Church
Overview
Grid reference: SJ 367 909
The impact of the church is made chiefly by the composition of rigorously angular masses. The wall surfaces are mostly flat, with only minimal recesses, entirely without buttresses, and the decoration of the exterior is limited to polychrome bands of stone and black brick set among the background of red brick.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
A Latin cross, with aisled nave of five bays, south-west porch and north-west bell tower, the transeptal projections containing a choir vestry (on the north) and organ chamber above a vestry (on the south).
Description of Archaeology and History
By W. and G. Audsley, architects known now chiefly for their published works on the decoration of buildings and technical volumes such as the latter's Art of Organ Building, first published in 1905.
The cost of the church, including the land, was about £10,000, and was defrayed by Miss Colquitt of Green Bank. The church was consecrated on 21st July, 1870.
Exterior Description
The impact of the church is made chiefly by the composition of rigorously angular masses. The wall surfaces are mostly flat, with only minimal recesses, entirely without buttresses, and the decoration of the exterior is limited to polychrome bands of stone and black brick set among the background of red brick.
The windows have no surrounds save of this sort, and give the impression of being cut in the walls with a sharp knife like holes in card. All the more surprising, therefore, is the carved decoration which appears in only two places the porch at the foot of the tower and the capitals of the west window.
The tower is of four stages, only the top belfry stage being differentiatedby a stringcourse from the others. For the rest, a simple band of stone is used at sill level.
The entrance door is set in the west wall and is enriched with stonework carved with primitivist decoration incorporating faces and beasts. There is a cross in the tympanum, and the three orders of brick arches are within a polygonal hood-mould. A band of carved stonework forms a cornice which enfolds the walls of the tower at the level of the springing of the arches.
The first floor is lit by single lights, very tall and narrow, and the floor above that is lit by pairs of lights in each face. The top stage has big two-light bell-openings with brutally large louvres. At this point the stone banding is intensified. The tower formerly had a pyramidal slated roof, but now terminates abruptly at the parapet which projects slightly on a brick corbel table.
The west front of the nave stands slightly proud of the aisle walls. Three windows in the lower part and a large six-petalled rose window above are all set within a rounded arch. The wall is decorated with banding, and some diapering which is not used frequently elsewhere in the church.
The lateral walls of the nave are particularly stark, with paired lights in the aisles and triple lights in the clerestory repeated in each of the five bays without variation. There are, as throughout the church, not even buttresses to define the bays or lighten the outline.
The north wall of the transept has three large windows in the lower part, and a recessed circlet containing a sexfoil surrounded by twelve roundels in the upper part, repeating the rhythm of the west nave wall.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
Four lights in the south aisle, part of the War Memorial, and representing The Call, The Response, The Sacrifice and The Reward.
Stained Glass
1859
The west window of the south aisle - The Good Samaritan: a memorial to a death in 1859, well detailed, especially in the figures who have passed by on the other side, the priest casting a glance over his shoulder.
Stained Glass
The west window of the nave Christ with the Children, rather heavy colours. Suitably placed over the font. Lively foliage round the panel containing the picture. The flanking windows have vivid abstract patterns.
Stained Glass
The triple east window, of three very tall lights, depicts Christ in the centre light with Alpha and Omega below and the Spirit in the form of a Dove above. The flanking lights have four roundels with the symbols of the Evangelists.
Interior
Interior Description
Round arches and circles characterise the interior from the arches of the windows to the inlaid decoration of the stall-ends, from the nave arcades to patterns on the tiles on the floor of the chancel. More arches appear in the braces of alternate bays in the roof, and in the screens which separate the chancel from the two transepts.
The church is very light, stained glass being limited to the west and east windows and two windows in the south aisle. The arcades are carried on piers of polished marble with collars half-way up, on square bases and with square capitals vigorously carved with grotesque foliage of uncertain derivation which reveals weird animal heads in some places. The arches are banded with black brick and outlined with bands of stone.
A firm horizontal accent is provided by the continuous sill which runs below the clerestory windows. These, arranged in triplets with brick piers between, also have carved stone capitals.
The west wall of the nave does not follow the pattern seen outside, but is divided into two levels by a continuation of the same sill which thus circumscribes the whole nave, terminating at each end in the capitals of the chancel arch.
The chancel arch is a very tall and wide design carried on brick responds like those of the nave arcades. The arches opening from the chancel into the vestry (on the north) and organ chamber (on the south) take up most of the wall space, but the rest is banded with stone and black brick. The three windows on the east wall are drawn together by arches (the central one stilted) supported on attached shafts in three sections defined by collars. The roof is a barrel vault.
The applicationof polychrome decoration to the walls, both structural and applied, to emphasise the architecture, and the attention to detail in the tiles, the carved work of the capitals, and the pine doors, are all evidence of the architects concern for the decorative arts which is also proved by their writings. This snould not obscure the powerful and distinctive character of the design of the building itself.
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
The font was evidently designed by the architects since it shares with the other carved stonework in the church a type of decorationbased on severely stylized natural forms, giving an eclectic effect which is difficult to ascribe to any particular influence partly Celtic and partly Byzantine. It has a circular bowl, fluted in the lower part with interlacing zig- zag above. The drum is noulded and has a band of stylized florets where it joins the bowl. It is set on two octagonal steps, and the cover has good ironwork.
Pulpit
The pulpit is a drum, corresponding (like the font) in style to the building. These is a band of stylised foliage and the front is inlaid with patterns of flowers within rectangles done in a composite material.
Organ (object)
The organ was originally built by Whiteley of Chester, and rebuilt by Rushworth and Dreaper in 1901; the same firm renovated it in 1949. It has three manuals, and tracker action (with many stops prepared for at the console). There are twenty speaking stops and the case front displays the 16ft Open Diapason of the Great Organ.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SJ 367 909
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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