Sneinton

St Christopher with St Philip

Nottingham Archdeaconry

Nottingham South Deanery

Introduction

St Christopher’s Church Sneinton is an early 20th century building serving a parish to the east of Nottingham city centre. It was designed by Frank Edwin Littler ARIBA in 1909 and dedicated by the Bishop of Southwell, Edwyn Hoskins on the 1st December 1910. The site was donated by the Earl Manvers in 1901 and originally housed two steel framed buildings clad with corrugated iron sheeting. One was used as the church the other served as the parish rooms.

In 1941 the building was badly damaged during a German air raid, when an oil-filled incendiary bomb set fire to the roof and destroyed the entire interior of the building leaving only the walls standing. Work started on the restoration in 1950 and the church was rededicated in 1952.

The exterior of the building is mainly constructed of local red brick with the liberal use of limestone for decorative string courses, copings, door and window framing and the bell-cote which houses a single bell sited over the west gable wall.

Internally there is a common roofline to the nave and chancel, with the north and south aisles formed by the six-pillared arcade, which supports the clerestory. The slender moulded piers are of the 13th century style. The walls throughout are cement rendered, remaining unpainted since the restoration of 1952. By contrast, the pews and all the other furnishings are of light oak in contemporary 1950s style. Likewise the cast Terrazzo floor and font are light-coloured, dating from the rebuilding.

Particular thanks to Doug Fletcher for research on this entry