SJ8391 : A painting by Rob Floyd
taken 8 years ago, near to Withington, Manchester, England
Christ Church, West Didsbury was a gift to the community from William Roberts who owned the Crown Brewery in Hulme from 1851. Mr. Roberts offered to build a church and rectory at his own expense and insisted on the present site, the corner of Darley Avenue and Princess Road (rumour has it that he wanted to see the church from his home!). In 1881 he was still living on the Chorlton/Didsbury border and would have watched the building of the Church and Rectory.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s due to the development of the Parkway into a major road significant changes were made to the church. The main West doors were bricked-up and a new entrance made on Darley Avenue. The old organ was removed and a replacement one provided. The church was double-glazed and a new central heating system was installed. The floor level was raised with the provision of a new floor. The pews were removed and replaced by chairs and a nave altar put in place. Christ Church was closed for nearly a year and reopened in the summer of 1981. In more recent times the clock has been restored and the roof completed replaced.
In December 2006 it joined forces with St Christopher's Church in Withington to become a single parish. Church website: Link