Christ Church, Chester

Christ Church, located on Somerset Street in Chester, is a Church of England parish church known for its rich history and architectural significance. It serves the Archdeaconry and Deanery of Chester, sharing its benefice with Saint Michael, Plas Newton. The church is a Grade II listed building, reflecting its historical and architectural importance.

Christ Church was originally established on the site in 1838, designed by Thomas Jones. The current structure was built in stages by renowned architect John Douglas, with the chancel completed in 1893, the southeast chapel in 1897, the nave in 1900, and the northwest baptistry in 1904. Although a southwest steeple was planned, it was never built, and a south porch was constructed in its place in 1936.

The church features a Gothic Revival style, blending sandstone ashlar for the chancel and southeast chapel with red brick and stone dressings for the rest of the structure. The roofs are covered in grey-green slates. Its layout includes a five-bay nave with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a chancel, a baptistry, a southeast chapel, vestries, and a south porch topped with a cantilevered timber-framed bell-cote. Decorative details include gabled roofs with cross finials and blocked lucarnes on the nave roof slopes.

Christ Church showcases works by notable artists and craftsmen. Sir Charles Nicholson designed key features like the gilded reredos and organ case between 1900 and 1920. The southeast chapel's reredos, crafted by Kempe in 1897, includes carvings by Joseph Mayer. Gertrude Siddall’s 1910 organ screen paintings enhance its artistry. Highlights also include two fonts (1837 and 1904), 1837 churchwardens' settles, and a bishop's chair by Robert Hilton.

In 2015, Christ Church added a glass door for more natural light and reconfigured its stage for better functionality. The 2019 Stage Four Space Renewal Project introduced vestry extensions and community rooms to support children’s programs and aid Chester’s homeless. Its historic Brindley & Foster organ remains central to worship, with refurbishment planned within five years. Blending tradition with modernity, Christ Church is both a cultural treasure and a hub for community service in Chester.