(_From the Gentleman's Magazine_.)
The town of Doncaster has been long celebrated for its beauty and
cleanliness, for its striking approach from the south, its magnificent
Grand Stand, and celebrated Race Course, its public buildings, its
venerable Gothic Church, and stately tower; and latterly, by the erection
of a beautiful Gothic Church, with an elegant spire, giving an additional
feature to the town from every approach.
This new Church was founded and endowed by a benevolent individual of the
name of Jarrett, whose ancestors had for a number of years been connected
with the town of Doncaster. A monument in the old church states that a
brother of the founder was an alderman of this borough. John Jarrett, Esq.
the founder of Christ Church, was in early life a manufacturer at Bradford;
subsequently, during the war, he became a partner in the extensive
ironworks carried on at Low Moor, near Bradford, under the firm of Jarrett,
Danson, and Hardy, where he acquired a very large fortune. Retiring from
business some years ago, he returned to his native town, to enjoy the
fruits of his honest industry; and during a period of several years, he,
by acts of kindness and benevolence, acquired the respect and esteem of
his fellow-townsmen. It pleased the Great Disposer of events to terminate
his life before the completion of this his last pious work. The first
stone of the church was laid on the 9th of October, 1827; and the founder
died on the 15th of January, 1828, at the age of eighty-three. The sums he
gave were, 10,000_l_. for the building, and 3,000_l_. for the endowment.
The site of the church, at the point where the Thorne road branches from
the great North road, is particularly fine and open, occupying about two
and a half acres of ground, surrounded by wide and spacious public roads.
The style of architecture adopted is that which prevailed in the
fourteenth century. The stone used is from the celebrated quarries of
Roche Abbey.
The plan of the church comprises a tower, nave, two side-aisles, and a
chancel; the latter, together with two vestries, forms a semi-octagonal
projection, which gives the east end a multangular and unusual appearance.
There are six windows to each aisle, and a seventh at the north-east and
south-east vestries. Each of these is divided horizontally by two
cross-mullions, and thereby formed into twelve lights; the centre three
are square quartrefoils; and the tracery at the head forms three other
quartrefoils. The east window is of six principal lights, and the upper
part spread out in tracery.
The principal entrance is through a spacious octangular porch, the whole
size of the tower, which is groined in imitation of stone. The entrance to
the galleries and side-aisles is by the doors on the north and south sides
of the church.
The size of the church from the tower to the chancel, in the interior, is
ninety-four feet long, and fifty-two wide, with galleries at the south and
north sides and west end. The accommodation is for one thousand persons,
of which three hundred seats are free and unappropriated. The ceiling
above the nave is divided into square compartments, by bold ornamented
beams, with bosses at the intersection, which are painted in imitation of
oak. The side-aisles are groined in imitation of stone, having bosses at
the intersection of the ribs, with corbels for the ribs to rise from.
The pulpit, reading, and clerk's desks accord in style with the building,
and are placed in the centre of the middle aisle, which is ten feet wide.
A handsome stone font is placed in front of the west entrance.
We cannot conclude this account without expressing our admiration of this
beautiful specimen of modern architecture, which, although not free from
defects, possesses architectural merit in a very high degree. The uniform
correctness of style in the detail, the beautiful and finely-proportioned
spire, the chaste and elegant tracery of the windows, the light ornamental
buttresses and pinnacles, all combine to give a character to the building
pleasing and satisfactory, and reflect great credit on the architects,
Messrs. Woodhead and Hurst, of Doncaster.
The building was consecrated by his Grace the Archbishop of York, on the
10th of September, 1829; and the church opened for divine service on the
1st of November following.
The Rev. Henry Branson is appointed the first minister to this church; and
the friends of the establishment will hear with satisfaction that, since
the opening, the number of worshippers has increased by those who formerly
attended the dissenting meeting-houses in the town and neighbourhood.
A subscription has been raised for an organ, which is now building by Gray,
of London.
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