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Christ Church, Swindon, Wiltshire, England

Christ Church, Swindon, took over from the parish church of  Holy Rood  when it opened in 1851.  The land was given by Ambrose Goddard (Lord of the Manor of High Swindon) and was adjacent to the Goddard family home and estate.  Indeed the church has many memorials to the Goddard family.  The former Goddard family home no longer exists and the estate is now a park - known locally as  The Lawns.  The hill top site means that the spire of Christ Church can be seen for miles around.

Christ Church is a Grade II* listed building - for details see the  Historic England  website.

The building is deceptively large inside and appears to be in constant use, and is kept open much of the day time.  Whilst open there is always someone in attendance for security reasons - a sad reflection of our times perhaps - but also good to see how many volunteers are proud to help the church remain open to everyone.

On the days we visited back in June 2000, one particular person - Peter - was very friendly and helpful, offering many snipets of information and amusing stories.  One of his chores is to clean the building - quite a challenge!  I mentioned how clean everything was - he told me he took pride in his work and that he almost considered the building to be his!  How lucky Christ Church is to have his dedication.

Christ Church has its own website which is packed with all sorts of information about the church - including photographs and even a searchable index of burials.  Here are a few links:

Christ Church's own website:
Home (main) Page
Burial Ground Search
Plan of the Graveyard
Friends of Christ Church
Contact page
Outside
 | Top  |  Christ Church Menu  |
Swindon - photo: 0001
Taken from Church Road
Photo No: 0001     Size: 396k
Photo Date: March 2000
Swindon - photo: 1316
Photo No: 1316     Size: 1126k
Photo Date: May 2014
Swindon - photo: 1201
The west side of the tower/spire
Photo No: 1201     Size: 1051k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 1908
The West Entrance
More Photographs
Photo No: 1908     Size: 1148k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1356
Cross on top of the porch
Photo No: 1356     Size: 1103k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 0666
Looking up to the spire
Photo No: 0666     Size: 525k
Photo Date: September 2004
Swindon - photo: 1889
The clock on the west face - the only side with a clock
Photo No: 1889     Size: 1161k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 2267
Photo No: 2267     Size: 1146k
Photo Date: July 2017
Swindon - photo: 3289
Lit up to remember those lost in the First World War, during the 2018 centenary commemorations
More photographs
Photo No: 3289     Size: 707k
Photo Date: November 2018
Swindon - photo: 3275
Flying the Ukranian flag in March 2023, remembering the first anniversary of the Ukrain invasion
Photo No: 3275     Size: 1089k
Photo Date: March 2023
Swindon - photo: 3290
On the right of the photo is Anderson's Hostel (alms houses)
Photo No: 3290     Size: 795k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 1211
Photo No: 1211     Size: 493k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 1928
Taken from the car park
Photo No: 1928     Size: 785k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1927
Moving round to the north side
Photo No: 1927     Size: 457k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1358
North side of the spire
Photo No: 1358     Size: 624k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 0096
The north wall
Photo No: 0096     Size: 888k
Photo Date: February 2004
Swindon - photo: 1817
Photo No: 1817     Size: 707k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1917
Path running along the north side
Photo No: 1917     Size: 1255k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1198
The east side
Photo No: 1198     Size: 941k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 3266
Work on the east wall during 2019
A few more photographs
Photo No: 3266     Size: 1386k
Photo Date: April 2019
Swindon - photo: 1197
Photo No: 1197     Size: 841k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 0011
A snowy December 1999.
Taken from The Lawns
Photo No: 0011     Size: 508k
Photo Date: December 1999
Swindon - photo: 3291
The graveyard on the east side of the church
More photographs
Photo No: 3291     Size: 2028k
Photo Date: April 2019
Swindon - photo: 2418
Photo No: 2418     Size: 2093k
Photo Date: April 2019
Swindon - photo: 2262
Photo No: 2262     Size: 1467k
Photo Date: July 2017
Swindon - photo: 2263
Ventilation in the spire
Photo No: 2263     Size: 1464k
Photo Date: July 2017
Swindon - photo: 0002
Moving round to the south side
Photo No: 0002     Size: 745k
Photo Date: March 2000
Swindon - photo: 2260
Taken from the Garden of Reflection
Photo No: 2260     Size: 1353k
Photo Date: July 2017
Swindon - photo: 2238
The Garden of Reflection
More photographs
Photo No: 2238     Size: 2219k
Photo Date: July 2017
Swindon - photo: 1200
Photo No: 1200     Size: 952k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 0352
Figure of Christ on the east wall of the south chapel
Photo No: 0352     Size: 783k
Photo Date: May 2004
Swindon - photo: 1819
Photo No: 1819     Size: 859k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 3276
Photo No: 3276     Size: 1724k
Photo Date: November 2022
Swindon - photo: 1216
Door into the south transcept
Photo No: 1216     Size: 1223k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 1217
Stone heads either side of the door
Photo No: 1217     Size: 1230k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1218
Photo No: 1218     Size: 1259k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1920
There are a number of these
structures around the building
With photos 1921 & 1922
Photo No: 1920     Size: 1273k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1921
Carvings on structure
With photograph No. 1920
Photo No: 1921     Size: 1154k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1922
With photograph No. 1920
Photo No: 1922     Size: 1139k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1212
The South porch
More Photographs
Photo No: 1212     Size: 1088k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 1206
Photo No: 1206     Size: 968k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 1833
A ventilation grid
Photo No: 1833     Size: 1160k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1926
Crosses on the roofline
Photo No: 1926     Size: 354k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 1925
Photo No: 1925     Size: 267k
Photo Date: July 2011
Swindon - photo: 0250
Photo No: 0250     Size: 467k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 2869
A bench donated by the Friends of Christ Church in 2009
Photo No: 2869     Size: 1861k
Photo Date: November 2022
Swindon - photo: 3278
Beautiful snowdrops, spring of 2023
Photo No: 3278     Size: 1600k
Photo Date: March 2023
Swindon - photo: 3286
Primroses in spring
Photo No: 3286     Size: 1032k
Photo Date: March 2023
Swindon - photo: 3264
Photo No: 3264     Size: 1204k
Photo Date: April 2019
Swindon - photo: 3015
Photo No: 3015     Size: 1017k
Photo Date: November 2022
Swindon - photo: 3283
Photo No: 3283     Size: 903k
Photo Date: November 2022
Swindon - photo: 3279
The outer wall of the churchyard next to Cricklade Street.
Photo No: 3279     Size: 1900k
Photo Date: March 2023
Swindon - photo: 3282
A pillar …
Photo No: 3282     Size: 1759k
Photo Date: March 2023
Swindon - photo: 3280
… with this decoration on top
Photo No: 3280     Size: 1193k
Photo Date: March 2023
Swindon - photo: 3281
The other side of the pillar and steps up into the churchyard
Photo No: 3281     Size: 1805k
Photo Date: March 2023
Swindon - photo: 1205
Taken from Church Road
when surrounded in scaffolding during renovation work of 2004
Photo No: 1205     Size: 391k
Photo Date: August 2004
Swindon - photo: 1950
Another from Church Road
Photo No: 1950     Size: 723k
Photo Date: October 2014
Swindon - photo: 2271
Taken from Union Row
Photo No: 2271     Size: 1003k
Photo Date: October 2018
Swindon - photo: 3301
Looks a bit precarious!
Taken from Union Row
Photo No: 3301     Size: 955k
Photo Date: June 2019
Swindon - photo: 0023
Belle Vue Road in the foreground
Photo No: 0023     Size: 238k
Photo Date: January 2009
Swindon - photo: 3302
Another from Belle Vue
Photo No: 3302     Size: 922k
Photo Date: July 2019
Swindon - photo: 0039
Taken from a house in Victoria Road
Photo No: 0039     Size: 364k
Photo Date: January 2009
Swindon - photo: 3300
A building knocked down in Victoria Road gave us this very rare view of Christ Church.  A new building hides this view once again
Photo No: 3300     Size: 872k
Photo Date: June 2019
Swindon - photo: 2272
Victoria Road in the foreground
Photo No: 2272     Size: 677k
Photo Date: October 2018
Swindon - photo: 1571
Taken from Fleming Way car park in Swindon town centre
Photo No: 1571     Size: 1207k
Photo Date: July 2012
Swindon - photo: 0094
Swindon Skyline
Christ Church spire can be seen one third in from left
Photo No: 0094     Size: 143k
Photo Date: May 2004

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