A design-and-build church of the early 1980s, with a wide, low interior.

Shotton Colliery opened in 1840 but did not flourish for a considerable time.  The colliery was taken over by the Horden Coal Company in 1900 and its fortunes improved, leading to an increase in the local population.  The first church was opened at Fleming Field in 1921, and was served from Easington. Shotton became a separate parish in 1940. The 1921 church was demolished in 1979 and the present church built on a new site in 1982. Seating 300, it was built by GALP Construction Co. of Seaham in less than six months and cost £151,000 (including furnishing and fittings). Bishop Swindlehurst opened and consecrated the building on 21 December 1982. 

Description

The church is a design-and-build construction, modern in style, with walls of red brick laid in stretcher bond and roof coverings of slate. The building is rectangular on plan, but with prow-shaped east and west ends centred on paired brick piers. The west end has three rectangular windows each side of the centre. The north side has two pairs of triple vertical windows lighting the nave and sanctuary. The south side has a wide southwest porch flanked by triplets of rectangular windows, with a similar triplet lighting the sanctuary. The east end wall is blind. 

Internally the entrance leads to a long vestibule with a small hall space on one side and a large worship space on the other divided from the vestibule by a glazed screen.  The church interior has plastered walls and a timber boarded ceiling above the timber principals and collars of the roof.  On the east wall a central round arch opens to the small sanctuary; the central arch is flanked by smaller round-headed openings for side shrines. The altar, lectern, font and presidential chair are of Connemara marble, by Brian Morris. Other fittings were made by local craftsmen.

Heritage Details