Christ Church, Coatham was designed by Architects Coe & Goodwin, and built in 1854
from the benefaction of Mrs Teresa Newcomen. This impressive building is constructed
in squared random Caen sandstone ‘rubble’ with Bath stone dressings. Welsh slate
roofs. A West tower, clerestoried and aisled nave with south porch, chancel with south
C19 organ chamber and north vestry. Decorated style with reticulated tracery. A four
stage tower has a double chamfered plinth, angled buttresses with offsets, vice at
south-west angle and stone broach spire with ornamental metal finial. Double chamfered
west doorway, below chamfered window in 2nd stage. Three lancets in each face of 3rd
stage below open work clock faces on north, south and west sides. Chamfered bell
openings with tracery and sill band. Four bay nave and aisles with offset buttresses
between bays. Clerestorey windows triangular with curved sides. Gabled porch has
boarded double doors, with ornamented strap hinges, in chamfered surround. Lower
2-bay chancel and organ chamber. Lateral stack on north side; roof has crested ridge
tiles. Cross finials on nave and chancel. Gabled vestry with diagonal buttresses.
Interior: plastered with Caen stone dressings. Double chamfered arcades with foliate
capitals on compound piers. Continuous hoodmould with bosses and mask stops (one
of these reputed to be of Teresa Newcomen). Clerestorey sill ring. Tall tower arch holds
glazed wood screen. Chancel arch with compound responds on enriched corbels.
Mintons encaustic tiled floors in chancel and sanctuary. Double framed braced collar
nave roof has 2 levels of purlins, ashlar pieces, curved braces and wall posts on moulded
corbels. Good contemporary stained glass in nave. Chancel windows 1858 by G,W,
Terry, and Fussel and Clouser (London). East and west windows 1865 by Wailes
(Newcastle). Font, Pulpit, Sedilia, Reredos and Piscina 1865 by Sir Gilbert Scott. Plain
octagonal font on four engaged shafts. Octagonal pulpit drum on six engaged shafts, has
offset buttresses at angles and carved panels. A three bay Sedilia has trefoil-headed
openings and angels in spandrels. Similar piscina with foliate bowl, now altered to
aumbry with Art-Nouveau repoussé pewter panel on door. Crocketed foliate canopies
and finials are common to sedilia, reredos aumbry and pulpit panels. Richly carved 1922
rood beam has pendant vaulting, drop tracery, brattishing and rood flanked by figures of
saints.

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