Building Name

Church of St Nicholas Queen Alexandra Road, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland

Date
1939
Street
Queen Alexandra Road
District/Town
Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland
County/Country
Co Durham, England
Listed
Grade II


The creation of a new suburb in the southern part of the extensive parish of Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, led to plans to divide the parish and acquire a site on which to construct a church, parish hall and vicarage. The district of St Nicholas was created in 1926 and funds were secured to buy a site for the church buildings. Although a church hall was built in 1932 and the population of the district continued to grow, it was not until 1939 that St Nicholas' parish church was built at a cost of £9000 (including a £6000 donation from the Bishop of Durham). The foundation stone was laid by Mrs G Gordon on 4 February. Although war was declared ten days before the consecration of the new church, this took place as planned on 13 September 1939, performed by the Bishop of Durham.

The church, a stark modern design with Art Deco influences, houses the largest collection of Leonard Evett's stained glass in the country, and is the largest collection of C20 stained glass by a single artist anywhere in England