The history of our Church
Though the history
of Blyth can be traced back to the twelfth century,
the town itself did not attain to anything like
its present size and importance until the beginning
of the nineteenth century. It was not until
the beginning of the eighteenth century that
its industrial possibilities were recognised
and its development began in earnest. Up to
that time it had a very small population, and
until 1751 there appears to have been no provision
at all for Christian worship, apart from the
churches at Earsdon and Horton, of which parishes
it formed a part.
At the end of the seventeenth century, Blyth
began to increase in industrial importance and
the advantages of its geographical position
were recognised and exploited. Quays were built,
the population increased and the need of more
opportunities for religious worship began to
arise and be recognised
The Chapel
of Ease
This was Blyth
when the first Blyth Church - the Chapel of
Ease was built in 1751. John Wallace, a Blyth
historian, could find no evidence of any place
of worship in Blyth before this date. Blyth
belonged to the parish of Earsdon however pastors
at Earsdon were few and far between. The Ridley
family decided to build a Chapel of Ease at
Blyth to ease the parish of Earsdon.
It was a small church built for a congregation
of 500. It consisted of a nave and chancel,
with a small belcote at the West end.As the
town developed, 2 galleries were built (one
was later removed). The church was never consecrated.
The Ridley family retained freehold and the
right to appoint chaplains.
When the new church was built, Sir Matthew White
Ridley gave the Chapel of Ease to the Diocesan
Society who held it "on trust". It
was thoroughly overhauled and was described
as "one of the most graceful looking halls
in the town". In 1925, it was pulled down
to make way for a new Parish Hall, built on
the site. The brick arch at the entrance to
the Parish Hall has a keystone of stone with
1751 engraved on it. This stone was the keystone
of the arch at the entrance of the old church,
and so was preserved in this way. A chalice,
first used in the old church in 1754, is still
on exhibition in the new church.
The New Church
It was announced
in the "London Gazette" on November
9th, 1883 that the Chapel of Ease had become
a Parish Church. No longer did it belong to
the Parish of Earsdon. The next two years were
a period of great activity to raise money to
enable the new church to be built.
By 1892 the church was completed the baptistry,
vestries, vestibule and porch were added in
1891 and in the following year, the tower and
trancepts were completed. The tower when first
built was adorned with stone pinnacles and a
weathercock, but these were removed after one
was blown off and damaged the roof of the nave,
in the winter's gale in 1937. The window in
the High Altar "The Crucifixion" is
in memory of Dr. Henry Ward, who died in 1891.
The Church
today
The clock tower
was presented by Mr. G. Colpitts in memory of
his wife in 1962. The West window "The
Four Works of Mercy" was a memorial to
Dr. Gilbert Ward.
In 2003 the bells have been completely refurbished.
The new windows in the chapel were given by
Mrs.E. Holgeth in 2003
