For those interested in church architecture or, more particularly, church architects this church is one of several in the area designed by Temple Lushington Moore (1856–1920) who was one of Victorian England's greatest church architects. In a career spanning five decades, he built more than forty churches.
The Temple Moore Trail gives lovers of architecture and beautiful countryside the chance to get to know Moore and the Moors. There are more than 20 Temple Moore buildings in the Trail, all in or near the North York Moors.
HISTORY
The church of ST. Columba is one of Moore's more important churches, built between 1902 and 1904 to serve the 28,000-strong working community of the Cannon Street area of Middlesbrough.
Like its namesake in Scarborough, St Columba's was built on a site that was less than ideal, but Moore enjoyed the challenge of an awkward site. By making clever use of the available space, he skillfully transformed the multi-angled plan to provide a wide nave.
A large urban church like this one represented a difficult brief. It had to be economical — the budget of £7,000 was tight — but at the same time called for something uplifting that would provide a focus for the large numbers of people living in the area. Moore's confident and serious response to these constraints produced a church of grandeur and dignity.
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