A Tour of Christ Church

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1. The Tower of three stages (left), with west gable porch and corner buttresses. Broach spire and tower were based on 13th Century church of Buckworth, near Huntingdon. The Clock of 1843 on the west side of the tower was transferred from Holy Rood Church together with six bells. The present peal of ten bells is immortalised in a poem by Sir John Betjeman.

2. The South Porch of 1916 (right), erected in memory of Henry and Harriet E. Kinneir, has a stained glass window, depicting the Great Western Railway coat-of-arms, donated by Nancy Davis in 1975.

3. After passing through glass doors note, on left, marble war memorial (left). The Alabaster font of 1905 (right) was donated by Edward Hesketh Goddard in memory of his wife. This is one of many church fittings denoted by the Goddard family.

4. On column to right at west end of nave note listing of Vicars of the Parish of Swindon from 1301 to date.

5. Canon Thomas Corner, at the north-west end of the church, is named after Canon Lewis Thomas (1894-1972) and holds a small library of Christian books.

6. By north wall is model of Christ Church (left) by Thomas Hewson to 1/100 scale, made from match sticks and balsa wood.

7. The North Transept contains various memorial plaques of the Goddard family. Of particular note is the west window of 1931 by M. Travers, depicting a view through hollyhocks of The Lawn (manor house of the Goddards) towards Liddington Hill (right), together with Goddard and Christ Church, Oxford, coats-of-arms. Church has much glass of 1855-60 and 1891-1902 elsewhere.

8. The Pulpit (left) (1906, of marble and alabaster) was presented by Pleydell and Jessie Goddard in memory of their parents.

9. The Organ (right) was rebuilt, enlarged and modernised in 1951 and 1970. Further repairs were carried out in 1998, but there are still pipes dating from the original Gray & Davidson instrument of 1851. The rebuild in 1970 was by Percy Daniel and included a completely new electro-pneumatic action, including six combination pistons to each of the three divisions. There are approximately 1300 pipes in the organ and 33 stops, spread across two manuals and pedals.

10. Note brass memorial plaque to Henry G. Baily, Vicar from 1847-1885, whose drive and energy was mainly responsible for the building of Christ Church.

11. Behind the High Altar by the East Window is marble and alabaster reredos (right) of 1891, with panels of the Expulsion from Eden and the Annunciation. This was erected by Fitzroy Pleydell and Jessie Goddard in memory of their brother, Ambrose Ayshford Goddard. East Window was erected by widow of James Grooby, Vicar of Swindon 1823-1847, in memory of her husband and Col. Vilett, her brother.

12. The Brass Eagle Lectern, (1881), donated by Henry and Harriet Kinneir in memory of their son.

13. The Lady Chapel (right), 1935, by Harold Brakspear, with canopied figure of The Good Shepherd. Notice the Modern (1987) window by John Hayward in south wall.

14. South Transept. On west wall is Roll of Honour that was in the High School in Bath Road until this was closed in 1979. On the window sill is a weathercock (left) formerly on top of spire until replaced by a cross. The weathercock carries several bullet holes allegedly made by soldiers during 1939-1945 War when using it for target practice.