St Nicholas' Church, Radford, Coventry

St Nicholas’ Church, Radford

St Nicholas’ Church, Radford
Coordinates: 52°25′22.35″N 1°31′22.52″W / 52.4228750°N 1.5229222°W
Location Radford, Coventry
Country England
Denomination Church of England
History
Dedication St Nicholas
Consecrated 1957
Architecture
Architect(s) Richard Twentyman
Groundbreaking 1955
Completed 1957
Administration
Parish St Nicholas Radford
Deanery Coventry North
Archdeaconry Coventry
Diocese Diocese of Coventry

St Nicholas’ Church, Radford is a parish church in the Church of England in Radford, Coventry.[1]

History

The previous church was built to the designs of George Taylor of Coventry, as a chapel of ease to Holy Trinity Church, Coventry and consecrated on 29 September 1874 by Henry Philpott, the Bishop of Worcester.[2] It comprised a chancel with vestry on the north side, and a nave with the entrance porch at the west end of the south side. The nave was 68 feet (21 m) by 30 feet (9.1 m), the chancel 21 feet (6.4 m) by 20 feet (6.1 m). There was accommodation for 300 worshippers. The stone font was made by Mr Seager of Coventry. It was destroyed on 19 November 1940 during the Coventry Blitz and four of the fire watchers were killed. The destruction left only one course of stones standing. Some of the people seeking shelter in the church crypt were killed or injured.[3]

The new church was started in 1955 by the architect Richard Twentyman and consecrated by the Bishop of Coventry. The construction is of reinforced concrete faced with yellow brick. The side walls slope inwards at an angle of 10 degrees. The nave and chancel are undivided. The brick campanile contains two bells. The north aisle includes a Lady Chapel and baptistery. The stone font was rescued from the old church of 1874.

The church has been designated by the City of Coventry as a Building of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.[4]

Organ

The church is equipped with a pipe organ by Nicholson dating from 1955. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[5]

References

  1. The Buildings of England. Warwickshire. Nikolaus Pevsner. Penguin Books. ISBN 0140710310 p.280
  2. "Consecration of the new church at Radford, Coventry". Coventry Herald (Coventry). 2 October 1874. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  3. "St Nicholas Church". St Nicholas Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
  4. "Local List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest". Coventry City Council. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  5. "NPOR D03111". National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies.