Easily visible across the Mersey from the Speke coastline, I have often wondered about this little black church surrounded by industrial gubbins on the Runcorn coast.
Some very brief background from wikipedia. When it was built (1841), the church stood on a headland jutting out into the River Mersey. However the Manchester Ship Canal was built on its river-side, and the Runcorn and Weston Canal on the land-side, leaving it on an island. At this time it was said to be the only church in Britain in use on an uninhabited island. On 1 June 1995 it was declared redundant. In 2002 the interior of the church was vandalised by thieves, and all the fittings were taken. The building now stands within the Port of Weston and is inaccessible to the public.
Visit: Just walked in, bypassing the security on the main gate. Note there is a modern rotating camera about 50 m away from the church.
Some pics: Apologies for the quality of these - my normal accomplice and photographer (urbanchemist junior) was not around, so I borrowed his camera, pointed it at things on the auto setting and hoped for the best.
Factory next door - on the other side there’s a large Stobart shed.
Some very brief background from wikipedia. When it was built (1841), the church stood on a headland jutting out into the River Mersey. However the Manchester Ship Canal was built on its river-side, and the Runcorn and Weston Canal on the land-side, leaving it on an island. At this time it was said to be the only church in Britain in use on an uninhabited island. On 1 June 1995 it was declared redundant. In 2002 the interior of the church was vandalised by thieves, and all the fittings were taken. The building now stands within the Port of Weston and is inaccessible to the public.
Visit: Just walked in, bypassing the security on the main gate. Note there is a modern rotating camera about 50 m away from the church.
Some pics: Apologies for the quality of these - my normal accomplice and photographer (urbanchemist junior) was not around, so I borrowed his camera, pointed it at things on the auto setting and hoped for the best.
Factory next door - on the other side there’s a large Stobart shed.
Last edited:
