Handbook of Birmingham: Prepared for the Members of the British Association, 1886British Association for the Advancement of Science
History
Handbook of Birmingham: Prepared for the Members of the British Association, 1886
British Association for the Advancement of Science
Birmingham (England); Natural history -- England -- Birmingham
ST. THOMAS’S.--St. Thomas’s, at Holloway Head, another of Rickman’s, is
designed in the same spirit, but with details of the Ionic order. Some
of the earliest efforts of the revival of Gothic architecture were made
here by Rickman, the most important of which,
ST. GEORGE’S, a large perpendicular structure, is for its time fairly
good, but the details are thin and wiry.
A number of cheap churches followed in the first half of the present
century, none of them deserving of notice; but some better things were
being done.
ST. CHAD’S.--The Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of St. Chad, in Bath
Street, by the elder Pugin, though in some parts bare and mean from
want of funds, shews the genius of the architect in its plan, its
imposing interior, and its fine western front.
Of the churches of quite modern date, we have first the rebuilt Mother
Church of St. Martin before referred to. The tower was re-cased and the
spire rebuilt in 1854-5, and in 1873-5 the present building was erected
by Mr. J. A. Chatwin, architect, of Birmingham, and completed in 1875,
at a cost of £28,256. The style is Gothic, as it had become perfected
in the middle of the 14th century, and it has been used by the
architect with great skill and judgment. The interior is exceedingly
fine, and the exterior not unworthy of it. Preserved in the north and
south chapels at the east end, are the fine sepulchral monuments of
the Lords de Birmingham. It has excellent stained glass windows by Wm.
Morris, Hardman, and others.
ST. AUGUSTINE’S and the LEA MEMORIAL CHURCH, both at Edgbaston, are
also fine churches by the same architect. The noble spire of the former
is a conspicuous and beautiful object from a large extent of country.
ASTON CHURCH has lately been rebuilt by Mr. Chatwin, with the exception
of the tower and spire, at a cost of £15,000. The church contains
many monuments of the Erdingtons, Ardens, Holts, Devereux, and other
Warwickshire families. The very beautiful tower and spire are of the
15th century.
HANDSWORTH PARISH CHURCH has also been rebuilt by the same architect,
with the exception of the tower and the “Watt Chapel.” Besides the
monument by Chantry to James Watt, there are interesting monuments to
Boulton, Murdock, and other local celebrities.
THE CHURCH OF ST. ALBAN, in Conybere Street, lately erected by Mr.
Hansom, of London, in the style of the 13th century, has an extremely
fine interior, groined throughout with stone. The tower and spire are
unfinished.
Another good church by the same architect, is that of ST. CATHERINE (R.
C.) in the Horse Fair, also with unfinished tower and spire.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account