Christ Church has been at the heart of the Swindon Community for nearly 170 years. Over this time it has served as a place of worship, commemoration, remembrance, celebration and community.
Take a tour of the church.
West Front
Welcome to Christ Church, an Anglican church designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1851. The tour begins at the west front of the church looking up at the tower.
The Tower has three stages, with a west gable porch and corner buttresses. The broach spire and tower were based on the 13th Century church of Buckworth, near Huntingdon. The Clock of 1843 above you 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.
Your peal of ten ring over then this town,
Ring on my men nor ever ring them down, —John Betjeman
South Porch
The South Porch of 1916 was erected in memory of Henry and Harriet E. Kinneir and has a stained glass window, depicting the Great Western Railway coat-of-arms, donated by Nancy Davis in 1975.
War Memorial & Font
After passing through glass doors note, on your left, the marble war memorial. You can see more details of those mentioned on our Memorial Database at
Memorial Search and the Memorial Booklet compiled by Christine Senior of the Friends of Christ Church
Font
The Alabaster font of 1905 in front of the war memorial was donated by Edward Hesketh Goddard in memory of his wife Dulcie Gwendoline. This is one of many church fittings denoted by the Goddard family. Read the inscription
Vicars of Christ Church
Looking up the church from the west door, the column to your left displays a framed list of Vicars of the Parish of Swindon from 1301 to date.
Canon Thomas Corner
The 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 and a comfortable seating area
The North Transept
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 (left), together with Goddard and Christ Church, Oxford, coats-of-arms. Church has much glass of 1855-60 and 1891-1902 elsewhere.
The North Transept Window
The Oak Screen
During a recent major renewal program in 2017. a new oak transept screen was installed built by local carpenter John Ranstead. It mirrors elements of the design of the Lady Chapel screen and creates a storage area
The Pulpit
(1906, of marble and alabaster) was presented by Pleydell and Jessie Goddard in memory of their parents. Read the Inscription
Move ahead into the chancel
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.
The choir stalls are home to the Christ Church choir. A robed choir of around 16 regular members, the choir is directed by Tim Eyles our Director of Music and sing at our regular services. Would you like to sing with us? Find out more here.
Behind the High Altar under the East Window is a marble and alabaster reredos 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. Read the Inscription
The East Window was erected by widow of James Grooby, Vicar of Swindon 1823-1847, in memory of her husband and Col. Vilett, her brother. As part of the Church’s renewal programme in 2017, LED lighting was installed throughout. This includes coloured LED highlighting to the East Chancel window and the North and South transept windows.
The Brass Eagle Lectern, (1881) was donated by Henry and Harriet Kinneir in memory of their son. Read the inscription
The Lady Chapel, completed in 1935, from a design by Harold Brakspear, with canopied figure of The Good Shepherd.
To the right of the Lady Chapel altar is a 1944 window of Mary with the infant Jesus. It was dedicated to Ambrose William Goddard MC who died on active service on the 16th July 1944. View Memorial page.
Notice the more Modern (1987) window by John Hayward in south wall.
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