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Sneinton St Christopher

Features and Fittings

The Font

The Font is located in a Baptistry at the east end of the south aisle. It was installed as part of the 1952 reconstruction. It is contemporary to its period in both style and manufacture, being produced from reconstituted cast marble. The design is very geometric with a plain octagonal base supporting an octagonal plinth, the upper part of which has an inverted ogee moulding to reduce it to the dimension of the plain central pillar again octagonal. The one-piece bowl has an ogee moulding below to broaden the head of the font so that it extends to the base dimensions. A rather shallow round bowl is incorporated into the flat surface of the head.

On three of the faces of the font head is the inscription “Suffer little children” (from Matt 19.14), one word in each panel. The top is finished with a plain light oak cover.

Church records indicate that the font cost £23 in 1952.

Lectern

A tall brass lectern from the 1909 church is stored just outside the baptistry. It has a round base with three claw feet, supporting a central engine-turned brass shaft, ornamented with turned flanges, and capped by a globe, on top of which is a stylised bird with out-stretched wings and a book rest. It is no longer in regular use. Photographs taken about 1930 show this lectern located on the north side, near the front of the chancel steps, the site of the present reading desk.

Reading Desk

The reading desk is of the general design of the restored building. It is an open box with a book rest, at the front edge, and another shelf below. Externally the light oak finish like most of the church fittings has gracefully matured to a deeper hue, but the inner surface of the reading desk protected from sunlight etc has retained the original colour the architect specified. A microphone is now fitted to the desktop.

The Pulpit

The pulpit is a matching piece to the reading desk, and is set parallel to it on the south side of the chancel. It is slightly raised on a terrazzo plinth. It does not however appear to be connected to the audio system.

Choir Stalls

Two rows of choir stalls line each side of the chancel. All are made of lightly stained oak.

The front stalls are set behind book rests supported by unfilled panel framework with low arched stretchers. The rear stalls are set higher and have book rest raised on wrought iron brackets set over the back of the front stalls. Each of the four stalls accommodate about nine seats giving space for a total of about thirty choristers.

The east end with the high altar

The High Altar

The east wall, and both the north and south walls leading from it are covered in light oak panelling to a height of about ten feet. The panelling forms part of the altar design The area in the centre of the east wall is extended in height, and capped by a pediment just below the sill of the east window. Side rails supporting the pediment create a frame for the plain white painted wall, which is now the backdrop for the altar. Until recently a draped grey curtain covered this painted area. A large brass crucifix hanging on two wires is attached to the pediment.

The altar table has a plain top supported by rails with only simple moulding on the lower edge. It is however carried on four square legs of considerable dimensions, decorated with fluting on all four faces with a plain double plinth at the foot. It is again in light oak.

At the point where the panelling terminates on the north and south walls of the chancel, a simple oak communion rail follows the serpentine contour of the sanctuary step. It is supported on fluted pillars matching the legs of the high altar.

Bishop’s Chairs

A pair of bishop’s chairs are also within the sanctuary. They are made from unstained scotch pine and are broadly gothic in design, having square front legs decorated with heavily cut triangular mouldings. An almost flat arched stretcher rises from a turned half shaft on the inner faces of the front legs. The extended armrests are heavily carved with coarse leaves. The seat and the backs are plain pine boards, with the back adorned with a pointed arch pieced to produce an open quatrefoil and spandrels. It is thought that these chairs were bought into the building in 1963 when St Philip’s Church was declared redundant and absorbed by St Christopher’s.

Flower Stands

An article in the Nottingham Evening Post of December 1952, recording the rededicating of the church mentions a pair of wrought iron, gold and black flower stands. They are still in use in the church today. It is claimed that they originally came from the Cathedral of Ziguena in Spain, and date from the 16th Century. However, there is no evidence to support or refute this claim, or any information as to how they came to be in St Christopher’s. They are not obvious in any of the pre-1941-bombing photographs available.

The plant stands are in excellent condition. Manufactured in heavy iron, they are approximately 4 feet tall. Three curved feet support heavy scrolls, which are topped by further ornamentation including a shield with coat of arms. The central pillar then leads from this base to support a platform set over three outward curving shaped scrolls.

Looking across the nave showing the seating

Seating

The original church was furnished with dark stained beech-wood chairs. In keeping with the new designs following the 1952 rebuilding the present light oak pews were installed. In recent years some adaptations have been made, with the removal of the front row bookstands, and rearrangement at the rear of the church to better facilitate use of space. There are currently eleven rows of pews on either side of the central aisle with similar numbers in the side aisles. A local shop fitting company Messrs More and Hayne made all the light oak furniture for the rebuilt church in 1952. The total cost was recorded as £2100.

Light Fittings

Ten modern Halogen flood lights mounted low on the arcades now illuminate the nave. The original 1952 lighting consisting of six pairs of lights suspended from the nave roof are still in place. They are made from wrought iron with scrollwork. All the opaque white glass shades are intact.