St George's Cullercoats
Encyclopedia
St. George's, Cullercoats, North Tyneside
, England
was built in the 19th century French Gothic
style.
and built in 1884 by the 6th Duke of Northumberland
. The church, in particular its impressive spire
of 180 feet, was used as a navigational aid by the fishermen
of Cullercoats
as well as by major shipping approaching Tynemouth
in times gone by. Restoration work on this church has included the replacing of dangerously corroding stonework and the cleaning of some of the stained glass. The material of the church has recently suffered two set-backs that were costly to repair. Firstly, the boiler was condemned in 2007, the lack of which rendered the church a freezer in winter months (sub-zero conditions recorded on several occasions during services winter 2007/2008). This was complicated by asbestos
insulation in the boiler house and English Heritage
's insistence in a 'like for like' plumbing replacement. Secondly, the church became a victim of crime through the theft of various valuable roofing materials. This created leaks during the spring of 2008 that caused damage to various interior contents of the church.
. The posts of organist and director of music are in recent years one and the same, Shaun Turnbull succeeding Paul Ritchie in both roles.
is one of the church's greater attractions for musical tourists. One of its merits is its similarity to its original design. The only major change is the addition of a balanced swell-pedal that Lewis had intended originally but could not build due to lack of funds. It is praised for the quality of its individual stops. This organ is said to have the loudest Clarionet in England
.
which are struck by hammers operated by bell ropes from the ringing chamber. Due to the construction of the building it can not take the strain of swinging bells. Two of the bells' hammers require repair (damaged due to wear and tear 2005). The smallest bell is most used as it has a second pulley in a more convenient location.
North Tyneside
The Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England and is part of the Tyneside conurbation. Its seat is Wallsend Town Hall....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was built in the 19th century French Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style.
Background
Looking over the North Sea, beacon-like, it was designed by the church architect John Loughborough PearsonJohn Loughborough Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson was a Gothic Revival architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficiency unrivalled in his generation.-Early life and education:Pearson was born in Brussels, Belgium on 5...
and built in 1884 by the 6th Duke of Northumberland
Algernon Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland
Algernon George Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland KG, PC , styled Lord Lovaine between 1830 and 1865 and Earl Percy between 1865 and 1867, was a British Conservative politician...
. The church, in particular its impressive spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
of 180 feet, was used as a navigational aid by the fishermen
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
of Cullercoats
Cullercoats
Cullercoats is an urban area of north east England, with a population 9,407 in 2004. It has now been absorbed into the North Tyneside conurbation, sitting between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay. There is a semi-circular sandy beach with cliffs and caves, and the village is a popular destination for...
as well as by major shipping approaching Tynemouth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth is a town and a historic borough in Tyne and Wear, England, at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats . It is administered as part of the borough of North Tyneside, but until 1974 was an independent county borough in its own right...
in times gone by. Restoration work on this church has included the replacing of dangerously corroding stonework and the cleaning of some of the stained glass. The material of the church has recently suffered two set-backs that were costly to repair. Firstly, the boiler was condemned in 2007, the lack of which rendered the church a freezer in winter months (sub-zero conditions recorded on several occasions during services winter 2007/2008). This was complicated by asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
insulation in the boiler house and English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
's insistence in a 'like for like' plumbing replacement. Secondly, the church became a victim of crime through the theft of various valuable roofing materials. This created leaks during the spring of 2008 that caused damage to various interior contents of the church.
Choir
St George's choir has been described in the past as "one of the best parish church choirs in the country". However, in accordance with the fate of many church choirs, Cullercoats' parish church choir has suffered considerably from poor recruitment. Nonetheless the choir gives often-praised musical accompaniment to services, as well as a monthly choral evensongEvening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
. The posts of organist and director of music are in recent years one and the same, Shaun Turnbull succeeding Paul Ritchie in both roles.
Organ
This famous two manual T.C. Lewis organPipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
is one of the church's greater attractions for musical tourists. One of its merits is its similarity to its original design. The only major change is the addition of a balanced swell-pedal that Lewis had intended originally but could not build due to lack of funds. It is praised for the quality of its individual stops. This organ is said to have the loudest Clarionet in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
List of organists
- Charles Chambers 1893 – ????
- Frederick Younger Robson 1896 – ????
- Colin Haynes ?-1980
- Paul Ritchie 1981 – 2005
- Shaun Turnbull -2011
Bells
The church has four fixed bellsChurch bell
A church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
which are struck by hammers operated by bell ropes from the ringing chamber. Due to the construction of the building it can not take the strain of swinging bells. Two of the bells' hammers require repair (damaged due to wear and tear 2005). The smallest bell is most used as it has a second pulley in a more convenient location.