Christ Church

Parish church, dating from 1840-42, designed by J W Wild. The church is built in a basilican plan, with a nave that flows into the chancel, low-pitched aisles without a clerestory, and a small eastern apse. It is constructed of polychrome brick in a round-arched style with an oriental influence; the upper rank of nave windows have slightly pointed heads. The building has low-pitched slated roofs. At the west end are three entrance recesses; the largest, within a projecting gabled section, has a window above featuring Star-of-David tracery. Wrought iron gates are set within the recesses. A tall, south-east tower, designed to resemble St Mark’s in Venice, rises with a high, pyramidal tiled roof and three long, narrow recesses, each with bell openings.

The interior is galleried and features two tiers of arcades: a giant round arcade on the lower level and a Moorish arcade above. Italian mosaics are located in the apse, and wall paintings are by Owen Jones. The capitals of the nave arcade are also decorated with his work. The church contains stained glass windows by several artists: two in the north aisle by Walter Crane, two by John Hayward (one in the south aisle and one in the north-east corner), nine by Lawrence Lee in the apse, six by O’Connor, and two by Bentley and Westlake in the gallery.