|
Home >
Newsletter > Full Archive > Columns 26 Columns NUMBER 26 • Winter 2006 Restored font revealed at Christ Church
Recent visitors to Christ Church may have seen that the beautiful and extraordinary font has been restored and reinstated. It had been boxed up and stored for forty years. Its return and restoration has been made possible by the generosity of our Supporters and of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Thomas Dunn, the mason who carried out all the works between 1715–1729, includes a clear description of the font in the Books of the Works. The marble used was Italian and the cost of the bowl alone was £18, a very large amount (the cost of the material and carving of a single column capital was £17) and signifies the liturgical importance attached to the font in the eighteenth century. There is no evidence about the font’s original position, but one of Hawksmoor’s early plans suggests that he may have intended it to stand in the apse at the west end under the organ. The overall size of the basin in this plan suggests that Hawksmoor was possibly proposing a font which would, at eleven feet long, have been large enough for adult baptisms by immersion. In a meeting on 16th July 1712 the Commissioners had resolved that fonts in each church be so large as to permit baptism by immersion when desired. By the time Christ Church came to be fitted out however, more practical matters of space and cost perhaps came into play. Any evidence for the original location of the font was destroyed in 1866 when all the floors were re-laid. One small piece of evidence tends to confirm that the font was located at the west end: the decorator’s accounts of 1822 refer to the positioning of the Christening Pew in the south west end. Between 1910 and 1966 the font stood in the easternmost bay of the south aisle. It was dismantled in 1966 when the nave roof was rebuilt and it and other removable items of church furniture were stacked up and stored in the church. The font has now been installed at the west end of the nave between the pedestals of the two columns on the south side of the centre aisle. This position has been chosen because it is close to the font’s original location and it will allow the font, the officiating priest and the family to be clearly seen by the congregation during a baptism. The font will be re-dedicated on Easter Day at the 10.30AM service.
Restoring the monuments One of the largest items in this programme is the cleaning and conservation of the monuments. The two most important monuments in the church are those conspicuously placed against the quadrant walls flanking the altar recess. They are of great artistic value and quality. At present, their woeful condition stands out in stark contrast to the results of the care and attention that has been taken on restoring the fabric of Hawksmoor’s masterpiece. Their prominent position in the building makes them immediately noticeable by every person who visits Christ Church. With advice from the Council for the Care of Churches a programme of works has been agreed in line with best conservation practice focussing on sympathetic cleaning of the surfaces of the monuments. When restored, the monuments will once again make a glorious frame to the Sanctuary, the focus of the church. Other items include works which are largely unseen such as electrical supplies for performance lighting and further works in the ringing chamber. It made economic and strategic sense not to do these items until after the main building contract and now is the time do them. The works can be carried out item by item, thereby minimizing the disruption to the smooth running of the building. The Friends still need your support! We urgently need help to raise funds to carry out these works and your support is vital. The whole programme is £90,000 of which we have already raised £65,000 and much of this programme will be achieved with support from the original Heritage Lottery Fund grant. However, in order to draw down the pledged HLF funds, the Friends must raise the matching monies. As the gearing on this is very generous, it means your donation is worth four times its face value; if in addition you gift aid it, this makes your donation worth five times its original value. So please consider supporting the Friends. Every contribution is valuable and greatly appreciated. Dates for your diary Tour of Hawksmoor’s London churches Restoring the Richard Bridge Organ of 1735 The restoration of this historic instrument is understandably attracting great interest. Discussions involving the parish, Friends, conservation bodies, the diocese of London and potential funders are going forward in order to produce in the near future a definitive scheme for the organ’s restoration. Its completion will crown the success of a restoration project which has seen Hawksmoor’s great church brought back from the brink of disaster. As one of Britain’s greatest historical musical instruments, and one of European significance, it will play its part in bringing life, spirit and artistic activity to Spitalfields. The Friends have already raised £60,000 for this project. If you think you can help, please consider making a donation. You can find details on how to donate in our support us section. Thank you. Recent Gifts The Friends are grateful for the generosity of the many individuals and organisations who support the Restoration Appeal. We value donations large and small. Thank you. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank publicly all those who give to the restoration by standing order, thereby saving us paperwork and money. In addition to those who have given to the floor and chair appeals, who will be recorded in a special book, and those who prefer to remain anonymous, we would like to thank the following for their recent donations. Gifts of £25 and over Gifts of £100 and over Gifts of £200 and over Gifts of £500 and over *For the Richard Bridge Organ Appeal Awards Supporters will be pleased to hear that the restoration of Christ Church Spitalfields has been recognised with two further awards. Georgian Group Architectural Awards 2005
The Wood Awards 2005 The restoration of Christ Church Spitalfields drew high praise from the judges: ‘It is evident that a very high level of workmanship has been used … great attention to detail. This is one of the most impressive pieces of architecture in London and has been extremely well restored … the quality of the finish is superb.’ Christ Church had already received the special award for ‘A Glorious Restoration’ from the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust’s ‘Building of the Year Award 2005’ (reported in the last edition of Columns), and the Commendation in the Stone Federation’s Natural Stone Awards in 2004. Visiting Christ Church The opening times at Christ Church have been
extended and are now: Postcards and publications are on sale at the church on Tuesdays and Sundays. The Parish is organising volunteers to be on duty in the church and sell cards and publications. If you can spare an hour or two on a weekly or monthly basis, or you would like some more information please contact Kim Gooding, 020 7377 2440, or at welcomeofficer@christchurchspitalfields.org.uk. Back up support The Friends’ office is run with a small number of staff in order to keep our overhead costs to a minimum. Volunteers Thank you The campaign to restore Christ Church relies on the support of many people. The Friends would like to thank law firm Ashurst for generously providing an office; for printing this edition of Columns and other printed material. The Friends would like to thank Broadgate West for storing the Christ Church pulpit while we raise funds for its repair. Thank you to our volunteers who come and help both in the office and at special events. We are particularly grateful to Fiona Ligonnet and Gill Hernon who provide reliable and regular back up in the office throughout the year. Personal Column It is with great sadness that The Friends mark the death of Rev. Eddy Stride last autumn. This tribute has been written by his son Derek Stride, a Churchwarden at Christ Church and a Trustee of the Friends of Christ Church Spitalfields. Rev. Eddy Stride ‘An architectural wonder and a sociological disaster’ – that was how my father described Christ Church Spitalfields, soon after our arrival here. With a great heart for people, he was attracted to Spitalfields by the daunting challenge of unimaginable (these days) poverty, and the building was the last thing in his thoughts. No one in their right mind would have come to Spitalfields in the late 1960s and early ’70s, but my father saw the need. A stone’s throw from the City, yet a forgotten community. Many different races from around the world, living in the run-down estates, working in the varied local industries, mainly the rag trade. The living part of the building was in the Crypt with the ground-breaking initiative of the Spitalfields Crypt Trust’s work with vagrant alcoholics. Gradually, others moved into the area, interested in saving the Georgian buildings. The Friends were formed, which as well as campaigning for funding, meant getting covered in dust and dirt with ‘hands on’ work. The first concerts were held: not so very effective as fund raising events but very successful in raising awareness of the plight of the building. From these early concerts, the Spitalfields Festival later emerged to become the organization we see today. From the start, there were struggles to maintain the building as a church, not just a monument. The Diocese, with their limited funds and a decaying building were talking about demolition; suggestions were made that it become a concert hall or a library. Eddy with the help of early trustees started the process and fought the battles which have resulted in the beautiful building we can all now enjoy. He worked with the architect Red Mason, Eleanor Murray, the then Chairman of The Friends, and many other trustees and volunteers over the years, debating issues and confronting challenges. Despite all the pressures, Eddy made sure that, although an outstanding piece of architecture, no one forgot that it was a church, built to the glory of God, and for His worship. Many strong, lasting friendships were made, particularly with people like Eric Elstob, who was a great support, and not afraid to get his hands dirty. As well as leading the church for nearly twenty years, Eddy was involved in the local community, seeking to create a better environment for local people – many of the trees in Spitalfields which we enjoy today were planted due to his persuasive arguments. He often acted to calm cultural tensions between different groups. If you would like to support the restoration please go to the support us page for more details. Current edition | Back Issues | Get Columns emailed to you |
