Christ Church

Built 1859-61 by architect AB Higham, the church retains much of its significant mid Victorian architectural features.

Shieldfield, Tyne & Wear

Opening times

The church will be open every week (outside of the hours for public worship) at the following times : Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 12noon.
Also once a month on a Saturday during the summer months (May to September) from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

Address

Shieldfield Green
Shieldfield
Tyne & Wear
NE2 1XA

A brief description in A Guide to the Anglican Churches in Newcastle states: ‘This is one of the very best examples of Victorian Gothic buildings, far surpassing many more famous places. It has been sensitively reordered to facilitate the modern catholic liturgical reforms but retain a sense of the numinous for which the passerby seems grateful’.

Christ Church is a parish church with attached church hall built in 1859-61 to designs by AB Higham all in a Victorian Gothic Decorated style. The church remains unaltered from that period. 

The church is built from squared sandstone with ashlar dressings and a pitched Welsh slate roof. A tall aisled nave has a distinctive south west tower. A similarly tall chancel exists with north vestry and south Lady Chapel. The first bay of the north aisle contains a canted former entrance porch. The church and adjoining church hall is Grade II* listed.

The external elevations are highly decorated. A shallow west porch has three gables over a tall two centred arched door and flanking triple niches. There is a large five light west window and paired light aisle windows to north and south sides. The east window consists of four light stained glass. The dominant south west tower projects forward and has angle buttresses with gargoyles under crocketed gables. A tall broach spire tops off the tower.

The interior church walls consist of painted plaster and painted ashlar. There is a timber arch braced roof structure over with high collar and queen posts. The chancel has medieval style floor tiling; elsewhere is timber flooring. Other internal features include a gothic panelled wood reredos in the chancel and a reconstructed medieval octagonal font to the east entrance.

  • Captivating architecture

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Famous connections

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Magnificent memorials

  • National heritage here

  • Social heritage stories

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Accessible toilets nearby

  • Dog friendly

  • Level access to the main areas

  • On street parking at church

  • Parking within 250m

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • The church hall is open each day at times of the programmed requirements of a number of user groups : Christ Church PCC have an established partnership with a number of community organisations. Uniquely they include Circus Central, a hub of circus activity currently based in the church hall which has been rigged for circus activity; there are also well developed plans to re-order the church, removing the pews and converting the nave into a space for circus training and performance whilst retaining a refurbished worship area in the existing chancel and lady chapel. In addition to Circus Central and the PCC the current regular users include Caring Hands Charity (Lunch Club for elderly residents), Newcastle Gamers, a women's drumming band and an Ethiopian Church group.

  • Church of England

  • Community Grant, £10,000, 2017

  • Our Community Grants helped churches to install essential facilities such as toilets and kitchens.

Contact information

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