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CHRIST CHURCH, LONDONDERRY |
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- reaching out into the community |
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Christ Church, Infirmary Road, Londonderry, BT48 7HG, Northern Ireland |
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History |
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The Episcopal Free Church was built by Bishop Knox - at his own expense. The architect was a Mr Ferguson. It was called the FREE CHURCH - people did not have to pay for their 'sitting' - in other words there was no pew rent. Bishop Knox built the Church for the poor people who lived in the area. According to the Ordinance Survey Report of 1833: 'The Free Church, situated without the city, on the north, was built by Bishop Knox, at an expense of £760, and consecrated on 22nd August 1830. It was intended for the lower classes alone, but the congregation is no longer confined to them. Robert Simpson's' Annals of Derry' goes further and states that the Free Church 'has a large congregation of well-dressed, comfortable looking people'. The Church, including the West Gallery seated 340 people - which soon was not big enough. In 1832 a West Gallery was added, 'by subscription, the expense of building which and a vestry-room with that of providing gas pipes, amounted to £145.00' In 1865 a harmonium was added (cost £44.00) - so for the first 35 years there does not appear to have been a musical instrument in the Church. In 1868 an organ was purchased at a cost of £223.00, £100 of which was contributed by the Honourable the Irish Society. Old photographs would suggest that the organ was situated in the centre of the West Gallery. In 1882 the Church was enlarged to more than twice its original size, but the tower was left unchanged. North and South Transepts and Chancel were also added at a cost of £300.00. The enlarged Church, now called CHRIST CHURCH, was dedicated in 1882 by Bishop William Alexander, husband of the hymn writer Mrs Cecil F Alexander. The architect was Mr Guy Ferguson, son of the architect of the Free Church. In 1886 the church was again enlarged - to its present size. Also in 1886 a new organ was installed, costing £500.00. In 1953 the Choir Vestry, built on the west side of the north transept was dedicated. In 1970 the Side Chapel was formed in the South Transept. What started out as the 'Free Church' became, by the turn of the century, one of the largest and, possibly, wealthiest Churches in the country, boasting a Rector and 4 Curates. |
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The high/main altar is unique in that the coats of arms of the Diocese and of the City are carved on opposite ends. The altar was carved by Canon Duncan and dedicated by Bishop Robert Miller of Cashel. Bishop Miller had been a Curate Assistant in Christ Church in 1892. The carvings on the front of the altar include panels depicting “I am the Good Shepherd” and “I am the True Vine.” |
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The new 3 manual tracker organ (the cost of which was in excess of £175.000) was dedicated on 18th March 2001 |
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The stone of the pulpit and font came from Caen, N. France. They were given in memory of the Earl of Enniskillen and built by A. Sharpe of Dublin in 1887. The main lectern also has Enniskillen connections. |
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Left: The Williams Window in the Side Chapel. Here the faces have been copied from photographs of the Williams boys, killed in the First World War.
Right: The stained glass window opposite the Williams Window depicts Feeding the Five Thousand. The inscription and some motifs are linked - maple leaf, shamrock, thistle, St Andrew’s Cross, anchor - a Canadian who married a Scot whose son served in the Church of Ireland. |
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Above: Window created for the rediscovered archway over the door leading to the gallery. It contains some of the salvaged fire-cracked glass from the original East Window. Right: The present East Window is a copy of the one in situ prior to September 1996 and was crafted by Campbell Glass of Belfast. |
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CHRIST CHURCH - OUR FUTURE On 27th September 1996 the Church was extensively damaged in an arson attack. On 1st May 1998 the Church was re-hallowed by the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe, the Right Reverend Dr James Mehaffey. The glass doors, from the west porch to the nave, carry both this inscription and one, which was formerly above the pulpit - 'Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only' The 'Christ Church Cross' has also been etched on these doors. The cost involved in restoration was £760,000. Restoration would not have been possible without the support of the local community. During restoration the archway over the door leading to the gallery was rediscovered. This now contains some of the salvaged fire-cracked glass from the original East Window. (The present East Window is a copy of the one in situ prior to September 1996 and was crafted by Campbell Glass of Belfast) During restoration part of the original (1882) mosaic floor below the East Window was also uncovered. Whilst restoration was in progress some minor alterations were made - the extension of the Chancel area into the main body of the Church, and the extension of the raised area between the chancel and nave proper. As many of the pews were beyond restoration there are now' free' areas - under the gallery and in the north transept. Advantages of this new seating plan are that the font is now under the south end of the gallery and the north end has been developed as an 'in-church' crèche area. The south transept, incorporating the side chapel, has been seated with chairs. Four shorter pews in the nave allow space for wheelchairs/buggies. Thanks to a grant from the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation the exterior was renovated. The new 3 manual tracker organ (the cost of which was in excess of £175,000) was dedicated on 18th March 2001. In 2005 Christ Church set up a Choral Bursary Fund for students at the University of Ulster at Magee and in 2007 employed a Parish Worker to develop links between Christ Church, Magee and the local Community |