Christ Church, Clifton Down

Christ Church (grid reference ST571739) is a Church of England parish church in Clifton, Bristol, England. It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building.[1][2]

Christ Church, Clifton
Country United Kingdom
DenominationAnglican
TraditionEvangelical
Architecture
Architect(s)Charles Dyer
Completed1841
Administration
Diocese Bristol
Archdeaconry Bristol
DeaneryBristol West
BeneficeClifton, Christ Church with Emmanuel
Clergy
Vicar(s)Revd Paul Langham
Curate(s)Revd Chris Brown
AssistantRevd Janet Lee
Laity
Churchwarden(s)Di Noon and Mark Orriss

History

The church was built in 1841 by Charles Dyer. The steeple was built in 1859 by John Norton, and the aisles in 1885 by William Basset Smith.[3][2]

A Christian mission organised here is credited with inspiring Emma Saunders to devote her life to good works. She spent fifty years as the "Railwayman's Friend" in Bristol starting in 1878.[4]

In 2015 the church was closed for two weeks after the steeple was damaged in high winds.[5]

The Anglican parish is part of the benefice of Christ Church with Emmanuel, Clifton which falls within the Diocese of Bristol. It is affiliated with the New Wine Network.[6] Having formerly been conservative evangelical, the church now accepts women in roles of leadership ad public ministry.[7]

Architecture

The cruciform limestone building has a slate roof. It was built in the Early English Gothic Revival style. There is an octagonal apse. The north transept is supported by buttresses.[2]

The steeple above the five-stage tower reaches 65 metres (213 ft). At its base is a doorway with Purbeck marble shafts.[2] Inside the church is a west gallery supported by cast iron columns with timber cladding.[8]

A replica of the church exists in Thames Town, a suburb of Shanghai built in a style imitative of English architecture.[9][10]

Archives

Parish records for Christ Church, Clifton, Bristol are held at Bristol Archives (Ref. P.CC) (online catalogue) including baptism and marriage registers. The archive also includes records of the incumbent, churchwardens, parochial church council, charities and vestry.

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Christ Church, Clifton.

References
  1. Historic England. "Christ Church (1202095)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
  2. Historic England. "Christ Church (1202095)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  3. "Christ Church Clifton". Emporis Buildings. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2007.
  4. "Saunders, Emma (1841–1927), philanthropist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/64549. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 24 December 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  5. "Christ Church damaged spire in Bristol assessed for repairs". BBC. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  6. "Christ Church, Clifton". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  7. "APPLICATION PACK: Associate Vicar at Christ Church, Clifton". CHRIST CHURCH CLIFTON. January 2019. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  8. Foyle, Andrew (2004). Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides). Yale University Press. pp. 224–225. ISBN 978-0300104424.
  9. Lim, Louisa (12 December 2006). "China Gets Its Own Slice of English Countryside". World News. NPR. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  10. "Why We Shouldn't Mock the Idea of an Eiffel Tower in Hangzhou". CityLab. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
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