Christ Church Western Point - Runcorn

This isolated church immediately brought to mind the children's show "Courage the Cowardly Dog." Its former parsonage was demolished years ago, leaving the church standing alone within the confines of an inland shipping port on the Manchester Ship Canal. This meant access wasn't a simple stroll.

I parked down the road and scouted the area before finding a secluded spot to launch my drone for some aerial reconnaissance. To the church's left was a security hut and a couple of vehicles, both showing signs of activity. To the right, a large boat lay moored, though I couldn't tell if it was occupied.

After slipping onto the site, I positioned myself behind some vegetation, with the church a straight run ahead. Still no movement from the boat, but the security hut clearly had at least two people inside, presumably watching TV. I decided a casual approach was best, a confident stroll I hoped might lead them to believe I was part of the boat crew.

Without turning to appear suspicious, I can only assume they were too engrossed in the TV to notice me cross the bridge to the building. I quickly spotted an easy access point. It was in direct line of sight of the overlooking hut, but I made a swift entry, seemingly unnoticed.

It's a shame the pews were missing, but the small building still clung to some character and held a couple of interesting features. I was busy photographing for about ten minutes when I heard footsteps approaching. ‘They must have finished their show before coming to kick me out, I thought’. To my surprise, it wasn't a Hi Vis wielding security officer outside, but a group of young lads climbing through the window. Pleased not to be caught so soon, they excitedly showed me some digger keys they'd gotten their hands on before exiting through a different window.

After another ten minutes or so, I had just started packing up my camera gear when I heard the unmistakable roar of a big diesel engine outside, the kids had actually gone and started the thing up! I quickly finished packing and headed out, hiding near the boat this time, out of sight of the security hut. I made it behind some cover and decided not to stick around to see how this would end. I hope they didn't crash the f*cker!.

History

Christ Church, commonly known as the former Western Point Church in Runcorn, stands as a poignant Grade II listed relic of the town's industrial past. Erected in 1841 by the Weaver Navigation Company and designed by Edmund Sharpe of Lancaster, this red sandstone church in the Gothic style served the canal workers and their families, reflecting a paternalistic era where employers provided for their workforce's spiritual needs. Its original prominent position on a headland overlooking the River Mersey was dramatically altered with the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal and the Runcorn and Weston Canal, effectively transforming it into an "island church" by 1894,  a unique status for a functioning place of worship in Britain. Although its octagonal spire was rebuilt in 1898 after a fire, the church's active life concluded on June 1, 1995, when it was deconsecrated. Since then, it has fallen into dereliction, suffering vandalism in 2002 that stripped its interior fittings. Today, inaccessible to the public and surrounded by the active Port of Weston transport complex, the once-vibrant Christ Church remains a solitary, decaying monument and currently holds a provision granted in 2004 for use as an office, storage, or monument space.