Location Birmingham Denomination Church of England Completed 1813 (1813) | Country England Groundbreaking 1805 | |
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Architect(s) William Hollins
Charles Norton | ||
Christ Church, Birmingham, was a parish church in the Church of England on Colmore Row, Birmingham from 1805 to 1899.
Contents
History
The church was built by public subscription. The site was donated by William Phillips Ing. The foundation stone was laid on 22 July 1805 by George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth. The Earl of Dartmouth was representing King George III, who had personally intended to lay the foundation stone, but was prevented from doing so by illness. The King gave £1,000 (equivalent to £73,184 in 2015) towards the construction. The final cost was £26,000.
It was consecrated on 6 July 1813 by James Cornwallis, 4th Earl Cornwallis, the Bishop of Lichfield. It was unusual in that all of the seating on the ground floor was free, and it came to be known as the 'Free Church'.
It was built in stone in the Classical style with Doric columns dominating the west front. The square west tower, completed in 1814, supported an octagonal belfry and an octagonal spire. The catacombs beneath the church were believed to contain the re-interred remains of John Baskerville.
The parish was assigned from St Martin in the Bull Ring and St. Philips' Church in 1865.
The building and site were sold in 1897, and money being used to build St Agatha's Church, Sparkbrook. The church was demolished in 1899. Part of the parish was given to St Barnabas' Church, Birmingham.
Organ
An organ was installed by Thomas Elliot, of London.