Christ Church and Associated Gate Piers, Gates, Boundary Wall and Railings, Washwood Heath, Birmingham

Description

BIRMINGHAM

997/0/10526 BURNEY LANE
23-JUL-09 Ward End
Christ Church and associated gate pier
s, gates, boundary wall and railings

II
The Anglican Christ Church, designed by Holland W. Hobbiss was built in 1933-5 by the firm William Deacon & Son of Lichfield. The church is a variation of the Romanesque style with an Arts and Crafts influence.

PLAN: The church is orientated north to south but the liturgical compass points of east and west will be used in the description. The plan has a broad, basilican nave, north and south aisles, chancel and transepts. The north transept incorporates a side chapel. To the west end is a gallery, beneath which is the baptistery.

MATERIALS: Christ Church is constructed of brown brick in English Garden Wall bond, with stone and brick tile dressings. It has a plain tile roof.

EXTERIOR: Three steps lead to the slightly projecting brick porch to the broad west tower. The double doors with horizontal timbers have a stone surround with square pilasters in the Doric order supporting the entablature. Above the door is the inscription 'Introite Atria Ejus in Hymnis' (Enter His Gates with Praise). To the tympanum is a stone relief of the Good Shepherd gazing at His flock, by the sculptor William Bloye. To the tower, above the porch, is a tripartite window with tiled round headed arches, above which is a stone cross with a relief of a lamb to its centre, again by Bloye. To the side elevations of the tower are a pair of round headed louvered windows. To either side of the tower are single storey gable end projections. The nave has two pairs of clerestorey windows to the east end and to the aisles, pairs of round headed windows within tiled arches, divided by ¾ round pilasters with cushion capitals; the nave bays are divided by buttresses. The single storey Church Hall projects from the north elevation. The north doorway of the church, with tympanum, is relocated to the hall entrance.

INTERIOR: Square brick pillars support the exposed brick round transverse arches to the nave and a triple chancel arch. The aisles to the west end are open, with brick arches to the upper level at right angles to the nave arches. The brick arches also frame the clerestorey windows, below which are pairs of round arch openings with dividing round stone pillars with cushion capitals. The side chapel to the north transept has wooden panelling. Two steps lead to the chancel, which has three round arch windows to either side and a small oval east window depicting the Holy Spirit. The chancel has a coffered ceiling of cedar wood from Lebanon in accordance with the Old Testament passage 1 Kings 5 v.6. The sanctuary has a black and white marble tiled floor; the rest of the church floor consists of parquet wood blocks. To the chancel is a stone pulpit, and stone lectern designed by Hobbiss in 1955 as a memorial to Canon Dugmore. To the west end is the baptistery containing the stone font mounted on a black marble platform. The font has bas-relief carving of the symbols of Baptism and Sacrifice, in the manner of Bloye. The stained glass memorial window is dated 1921. The staircase which leads to the gallery above has brick tile risers and stone treads. The church also retains its oak chairs and original light fittings, which consist of three lights with a cross to the centre. The fenestration survives throughout and includes stained glass windows with symbolic depictions of 'Peace and Prosperity' paired with 'Solitude', and 'Temptation' paired with 'Fortitude' to the south aisle; 'Purity and Strength' paired with 'Vigilance', and 'Ascension' paired with 'Sacrafice', misspelt, to the north aisle.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Gate piers with niches to their north side and wrought iron gates. Low brick walls surmounted by railings.

HISTORY: In 1933, the architect Holland W. Hobbiss (1880-1970) submitted his plans for the daughter church of St Margaret's, at a total cost of £11,500. The building contract was awarded to William Deacon & Son of Lichfield and the foundation stone was laid on the 12 May 1934. Christ Church was consecrated on the 29 June 1935. In 1951 the side chapel was furnished with oak panelling and a carved altar from the redundant St Stephen's Church, Newton Row. Christ Church became a parish church on the 28 May, 1965. The attached Church Hall, designed by Noel Hastilow, a partner in Hobbiss' firm, was erected in 1968.

SOURCES: Joan B. Smith, A History of Christ Church, Burney Lane. Unpublished; N. Pevsner and A. Wedgewood, Warwickshire. The Buildings of England (2003) 208.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: Christ Church is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* An accomplished example of an inter-war church employing an innovative variation on the Romanesque style of architecture for the inter-war period
* The most complete example of Holland W. Hobbiss' church architecture
* The interior retains a complete decorative scheme with symbolic stained glass, oak chairs, pulpit, lectern, font and light fittings, exhibiting a high standard of craftsmanship and artistic embellishment
* It includes good quality sculpture by William Bloye, such as the tympanum to the west entrance

Reasons for Listing

Christ Church is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* An accomplished example of an inter-war church employing an innovative variation on the Romanesque style of architecture for the inter-war period
* The most complete example of Holland W. Hobbiss' church architecture
* The interior retains a complete decorative scheme with symbolic stained glass, oak chairs, pulpit, font and light fittings, exhibiting a high standard of craftsmanship and artistic embellishment
* It includes good quality sculpture by William Bloye, such as the tympanum above the west entrance

External Links

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