Church architecture – ancient and modern -has always fascinated me. Today I’m writing about four modern churches in England. It’s encouraging to see that new church buildings are still being built. There are now so many churches that have been turned into everything from bingo halls to private homes. Personally I could never sleep in a deconsecrated church, no matter how “decorative and spacious” it might be. It used to be God’s house – enough said!
There is a church that has met in a school for over 20 years. They now have plans passed and approved for a building of their own, and they have a growing building fund. It is the GLENEAGLES ANGLICAN CHURCH and is not in Scotland as one might suppose but in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The congregation is not large but evangelistic and alive.
The proposed church is beautiful - simple, elegant, original and symmetrical with a lovely curving roofline. The imposing glass entrance is framed by two slender columns which are a feature of the design as are the long narrow windows. In the front is a white spire-like cross. There is another white cross on the wall. I like the white – it reminds me of purity and that is what Christ’s cross gives us fallen sinners. Both crosses stand out in contrast to the red-brown brick and grey plastered walls. Do have a look at the pic on the building plans.
www.gleneaglesanglicanchurch.co.uk Under Welcome>Building for the Future>click Church Building Fund.
THE GREAT NOTLEY CHURCH in Braintree, Essex held its first service in the church that had been planned and fundraised for 13 years in August 2010. An ecumenical church with partners from various other local denominations, its vision is to show Christ’s love in action in the community. The Revd Beth Bendrey is the Priest-in-Charge.
The church is very different from Gleneagles Anglican Church but, like it, is simple, symmetrical, with an interesting roof and soaring cross. The church is long and rectangular with a central entrance. The red-tiled roof is steeply pitched, high and dominant. Above the central door is a large projecting upside down V shape with an inset window. On either side are two similar projections which are much smaller. At one end a substantial, rather stark cross rises from the ground like a spire. See www.greatnotleychurch.org.uk/history.html Scroll down to “To Here” and click on church pic to enlarge. Another very beautiful English church.
THE EDMONTON BAPTIST CHURCH in London was built in 1976 when, because of redevelopment in the area, the church had to move. Now on a busy thoroughfare surrounded by high rise buildings as well as Victorian ones, there is no doubt what it is because its name in large white lettering stands out against the brown brick walls. It is an active very local church with a congregation of up to 400 coming from many different nationalities.
I could not find any description or floor plans of the church, so from the Google images this is what it looks like… It is hexagonal, the brown brick topped by a broad white band. Coloured glass windows, set in white frames, rise in large rectangular blocks from ground to top. The green tiled roof slopes up to a two-part spire – a rectangular plinth inset with a white cross on two sides topped by a soaring needle-like structure. What I really like about this church is the spire. Spires are uncommon on non-conformist churches. This spire with the cross, positioned as it is, tells me that the cross is the way to heaven symbolized by the needle-like structure pointing up to the sky.
Google: images of Edmonton Baptist Church London. Click on photo which takes you to the church website: www.edmontonbaptist.org.uk and on the Google images page under “Related images” click second photo to see the spire and the one beneath it to see the area.
SCARGILL CHAPEL, in Skipton, Yorkshire is a most beautiful church. It’s not a parish church but serves a resident community (Scargill House), and is also available as a holiday guesthouse, for conferences or retreats, for those who want to take a course run by Scargill House – everything from Church leadership to Creative writing –for church groups for a weekend stay and for concerts. Set in the dales, it is an idyllic spot. www.scargillmovement.org/estate/scargill-chapel.aspx
Scargill Chapel is a Grade 11 listed building designed by George Pace and erected from 1958-61. Using local materials it blends beautifully into the landscape. Basically a simple A frame supported on the inside by massive wooden beams. The tiled pitched roof, starting with a curve before soaring up is its dominant feature. On either end a huge clear glass window follows the roofline bringing the beauty of the outside in. The windows are surrounded by a wooden band also following the roofline as well as reaching to the ground. The side walls of stone –inside and out – appear small compared to the roof. A white cross stands at the front some distance from the Chapel. Both ends have stone additions. This very beautiful and evocative chapel is best seen from Google: Images of Scargill Chapel. Click on the first picture to enlarge it and then follow all the other images to view it and to see the surrounding countryside. One or two images of other churches have crept into this – just continue.
God bless
Merle
Good Cause. I would suggest prayer for deliverance from Ebola: that its spread may be curtailed, a vaccine or cure found, and those suffering as a result of it may turn to our merciful heavenly Father for comfort in their distress.
KEPT (on Other Writing – see Menu) is an allegory of the last times.
There is a church that has met in a school for over 20 years. They now have plans passed and approved for a building of their own, and they have a growing building fund. It is the GLENEAGLES ANGLICAN CHURCH and is not in Scotland as one might suppose but in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The congregation is not large but evangelistic and alive.
The proposed church is beautiful - simple, elegant, original and symmetrical with a lovely curving roofline. The imposing glass entrance is framed by two slender columns which are a feature of the design as are the long narrow windows. In the front is a white spire-like cross. There is another white cross on the wall. I like the white – it reminds me of purity and that is what Christ’s cross gives us fallen sinners. Both crosses stand out in contrast to the red-brown brick and grey plastered walls. Do have a look at the pic on the building plans.
www.gleneaglesanglicanchurch.co.uk Under Welcome>Building for the Future>click Church Building Fund.
THE GREAT NOTLEY CHURCH in Braintree, Essex held its first service in the church that had been planned and fundraised for 13 years in August 2010. An ecumenical church with partners from various other local denominations, its vision is to show Christ’s love in action in the community. The Revd Beth Bendrey is the Priest-in-Charge.
The church is very different from Gleneagles Anglican Church but, like it, is simple, symmetrical, with an interesting roof and soaring cross. The church is long and rectangular with a central entrance. The red-tiled roof is steeply pitched, high and dominant. Above the central door is a large projecting upside down V shape with an inset window. On either side are two similar projections which are much smaller. At one end a substantial, rather stark cross rises from the ground like a spire. See www.greatnotleychurch.org.uk/history.html Scroll down to “To Here” and click on church pic to enlarge. Another very beautiful English church.
THE EDMONTON BAPTIST CHURCH in London was built in 1976 when, because of redevelopment in the area, the church had to move. Now on a busy thoroughfare surrounded by high rise buildings as well as Victorian ones, there is no doubt what it is because its name in large white lettering stands out against the brown brick walls. It is an active very local church with a congregation of up to 400 coming from many different nationalities.
I could not find any description or floor plans of the church, so from the Google images this is what it looks like… It is hexagonal, the brown brick topped by a broad white band. Coloured glass windows, set in white frames, rise in large rectangular blocks from ground to top. The green tiled roof slopes up to a two-part spire – a rectangular plinth inset with a white cross on two sides topped by a soaring needle-like structure. What I really like about this church is the spire. Spires are uncommon on non-conformist churches. This spire with the cross, positioned as it is, tells me that the cross is the way to heaven symbolized by the needle-like structure pointing up to the sky.
Google: images of Edmonton Baptist Church London. Click on photo which takes you to the church website: www.edmontonbaptist.org.uk and on the Google images page under “Related images” click second photo to see the spire and the one beneath it to see the area.
SCARGILL CHAPEL, in Skipton, Yorkshire is a most beautiful church. It’s not a parish church but serves a resident community (Scargill House), and is also available as a holiday guesthouse, for conferences or retreats, for those who want to take a course run by Scargill House – everything from Church leadership to Creative writing –for church groups for a weekend stay and for concerts. Set in the dales, it is an idyllic spot. www.scargillmovement.org/estate/scargill-chapel.aspx
Scargill Chapel is a Grade 11 listed building designed by George Pace and erected from 1958-61. Using local materials it blends beautifully into the landscape. Basically a simple A frame supported on the inside by massive wooden beams. The tiled pitched roof, starting with a curve before soaring up is its dominant feature. On either end a huge clear glass window follows the roofline bringing the beauty of the outside in. The windows are surrounded by a wooden band also following the roofline as well as reaching to the ground. The side walls of stone –inside and out – appear small compared to the roof. A white cross stands at the front some distance from the Chapel. Both ends have stone additions. This very beautiful and evocative chapel is best seen from Google: Images of Scargill Chapel. Click on the first picture to enlarge it and then follow all the other images to view it and to see the surrounding countryside. One or two images of other churches have crept into this – just continue.
God bless
Merle
Good Cause. I would suggest prayer for deliverance from Ebola: that its spread may be curtailed, a vaccine or cure found, and those suffering as a result of it may turn to our merciful heavenly Father for comfort in their distress.
KEPT (on Other Writing – see Menu) is an allegory of the last times.
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