Congregational Church, Great Crosby
Encyclopedia
Crosby United Reformed Church, originally Great Crosby Congregational Church, is on the corner of Eshe Road and Mersey Road in Great Crosby
, a suburb of Liverpool
, Merseyside
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building. It is an active congregation of the United Reformed Church
. The authors of the Buildings of England series, referring to the architecture of the church, say "The whole is very satisfying".
for the present church was laid and the first service was held on 15 September 1898. The church was designed by Douglas & Fordham and it was attached to the schoolroom. In 1972 it became a United Reformed Church
.
with green slate
roofs in Gothic
style. Its plan consists of a nave
, low north and south aisle
s, a southeast porch, large north and south transept
s, a west chancel
, and a southwest choir vestry
with the organ-house above it. Over the nave is a flèche
. The windows are lancets
, apart from larger windows in the north transept and at the west end. The latter window is flanked by corner buttress
es, each of which is surmounted by an octagonal turret
. To the north the church is linked to a large gable
d hall which was originally the schoolroom.
. The reredos
consists of a First World War memorial dated 1920 with gesso
work by Joseph Lawton. Forming part of this memorial is the glass in the east window which is by Shrigley and Hunt
. In the north aisle two windows contain stained glass by Edward Frampton
.
Great Crosby
Great Crosby is an area of the town of Crosby, in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England.-Location:In 1907, the Victoria County History described Great Crosby's location thus: 'The ancient township of Great Crosby, which includes Waterloo, lies on the northern shore of the estuary...
, a suburb of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building. It is an active congregation of the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
. The authors of the Buildings of England series, referring to the architecture of the church, say "The whole is very satisfying".
History
The church was founded in 1885 and initially met in a schoolroom. On 22 May 1897 the foundation stoneCornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the present church was laid and the first service was held on 15 September 1898. The church was designed by Douglas & Fordham and it was attached to the schoolroom. In 1972 it became a United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
.
Exterior
The church is built in snecked red sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with green slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roofs in Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. Its plan consists of a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, low north and south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, a southeast porch, large north and south transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
s, a west chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, and a southwest choir vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
with the organ-house above it. Over the nave is a flèche
Flèche
A flèche is used in French architecture to refer to a spire and in English to refer to a lead-covered timber spire, or spirelet. These are placed on the ridges of church or cathedral roofs and are usually relatively small...
. The windows are lancets
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
, apart from larger windows in the north transept and at the west end. The latter window is flanked by corner buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, each of which is surmounted by an octagonal turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
. To the north the church is linked to a large gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d hall which was originally the schoolroom.
Interior
The roof is a hammerbeamHammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof, in architecture, is the name given to an open timber roof, typical of English Gothic architecture, using short beams projecting from the wall.- Design :...
. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
consists of a First World War memorial dated 1920 with gesso
Gesso
Gesso is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these...
work by Joseph Lawton. Forming part of this memorial is the glass in the east window which is by Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt was the name of an English firm which produced stained glass windows and art tiles.The business began in the 1750s when Shrigley's was a painting, carving and gilding firm in Lancaster, Lancashire....
. In the north aisle two windows contain stained glass by Edward Frampton
Edward Reginald Frampton
Edward Reginald Frampton was an English painter who specialized in murals, specifically war memorials at churches. He painted in a flat, stately style, and was influenced by French Symbolism. He also worked in stained glass, most probably learning from his father, Edward Frampton, who was a...
.