Don't understand why the Exchange building "necessitated the taking down of Christ Church" when the Exchange was much further down New Street. Viv.
Thank you MikeChristchurch at the end of New St opposite the old post office and next to the town hall
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Bob I see that you didn't question why your great grand father was baptised when he was 25 years old. It could simply be that he wanted to. Or maybe he was about to be married and that in those days the C of E required someone about to be married to be a member of the C of E.I have a baptism record from 1877 showing that my Great Grandfather, then 25 years old was baptised on March 30th 1877 at Christchurch. By the date are the vicars initials, the only entry on the page like that and above the actual entry is written 'received into the church'. His residence is shown as Hill Street and as the rest of the baptisms lived in Broad Street, Sheepcote Street and Cambridge Street, I assume this church is in the Broad Street area, although in 1871 and 1881 he as shown on the census as living in Grosvenor Street. Can anyone identify the church please?
Bob
we must also take into account a little artistic licenceYes that is a three tier pulpit but the stairs look very steep to me. What is puzzling me is its position central in an apse. I would have to ask where is the alter? In a CofE parish church of that time I would have expected the alter to be back against the eastern wall. As you say it does look more like an non-conformist chapel. Also the minister would not be visible anyone sitting in the gallery at the front of the church. Christchurch was built as an overflow for St Philips and was demolished when the local resident population had moved out and made the church redundant so the pews would have been free not rented out to wealthy parishioners.