History

Brief History of Christ Church Sandymount

Christ Church Sandymount, as a Methodist church, has a rich history of serving its congregation and the broader community in Sandymount. Its evolution from the late 19th century to the present day reflects the dynamic nature of Methodism and its ongoing commitment to worship, community service, and ecumenical dialogue.

Methodism in Ireland dates back to the 18th century when John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, made several visits to the country. The church in Sandymount was constructed in the late 19th century to serve the Methodist community in the area, where a congregation had been established in 1858. The foundation stone of what was called then the Wesleylan Chapel in Sandymount was laid in 1864. The building was known the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Sandymount. It was constructed by Messrs. Beardwood and Son, Westland Row, based on plans by architect Alfred G. Jones, Molesworth Street. The church is built in a Gothic Revival design, with its wooden porch added as a First World War memorial by G. Beckett. The architectural style of Christ Church Sandymount is modest and functional, in line with Methodist principles that often emphasize simplicity.

Methodism emphasized community and social outreach, which continues to be reflected in the church’s activities. The congregation, like many others, was affected by the global conflicts of the 20th century. Members of the church community participated in the wars, and the church provided support to those affected. Over the years, Christ Church Sandymount has undergone several renovations and updates to maintain its structure and facilities. These changes have ensured that the church remains a functional and welcoming place for worship and community activities.

From 1975-2022, the congregation comprised a union of the Sandymount Methodist and Sandymount Presbyterian Congregations which, although legally separate until that time, had enjoyed substantial co-operation and ties of friendship and family over many years. The union was one of the first under the Alternating Ministry Scheme agreed between the parent Churches, whereby Presbyterian and Methodist Ministers were appointed for alternate terms to take charge of the Congregation. The Scheme was dissolved in 2022.

The local agreement under the Alternating Ministry Scheme provided that the Methodist Church building should be used by the united Congregation. The former Presbyterian Church at the junction of Sandymount Road and Tritonville Road was eventually demolished, and the site is now occupied by Tritonville Close, a sheltered housing scheme administered by the Presbyterian Residential Trust.

This church building on the corner of Sandymount Green was built as the New Wesleyan Chapel and the foundation stone was laid on 28 April 1864, the architect being Alfred G. Jones, who was also responsible for a number of other church buildings of the time. The original cost was £1,000.  It was a comparatively small building, and required enlargement in 1872 by the lengthening of the nave and the addition of transepts. A vestry was also provided at the rear. Other site buildings were a Manse for the Minister, a Lecture Hall, a Minor Hall and the Coade Memorial Room, the latter dating from 1924. A porch was added to the Church in 1911.

Church Music

The first musical instrument was a harmonium, but in 1909 a pipe organ was bought with the help of the Carnegie Fund; it was built by August Gern, a German who was originally foreman to Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, a renowned French organ-builder of the 19^th century, and subsequently set up on his own in London.  It cost over £300 and, although converted in the 1950s from hydraulic to electric power and largely rebuilt in 1983, is essentially unchanged today.

Changes on Union

At the formation of the united Congregation in 1975, the area in front of the organ was remodelled by the removal of the fixed pulpit, communion table and choir stalls, and the installation of a flat dais. This carries the memorial pulpit, communion table, lectern, font and other furniture which had formerly been in the Presbyterian Church. These items being removable, the arrangement facilitates the accommodation of a large choir or musical ensemble, or an event such as a dramatic presentation.

Major Redevelopment

Substantial changes took place in 1996/97 when, by agreement with the Dublin Central Mission of the Methodist Church in Ireland, their Mount Tabor Care Centre was constructed on the major part of the property.  This necessitated the clearance from the site of all buildings except the main church building, and the provision of a new Manse in a separate off-site location. As part of the redevelopment, the church obtained a new hall with ancillary rooms and facilities. Along with its use for church activities, this provides accommodation for a variety of community purposes.

As You Enter

A small plaque in the porch notes that the rose garden in front of the Church is a memorial to May Cunningham.  In the vestibule are a purpose-built book table in memory of Harold Weir, and a bookcase for hymn-books in commemoration of Douglas Colvin; both were Presbyterian elders of the Congregation. There also is the Methodist communion table dedicated to the memory of George A. Morton and his wife, Daisy, which was in use from 1956 to 1975.

Stained Glass

In the north wall of the nave are three stained glass windows:

• ‘Heraldic Window’ by Evie Hone (1943) commemorates James Robertson Coade, for many years one of the notables of Dublin Methodism, who died in 1939.
• ‘St. Paul’ by A.E. Child (1921) is a memorial to the Rev. William A. Bracken, who spent his retirement years in Sandymount.
• ‘Dorcas Seated’ by Ethel Rhind (1932) commemorates Bessie Oak Dench, a devoted worker in the Congregation, and grandmother of Dame Judi Dench, the actress.

In the north transept is a window in memory of Lieut. William H. Coade, who served in the Leinster Regiment during the First World War, and who was the son of James Robertson Coade and his wife Agnes. The window in the south transept honours William Carty, J.P. of Dunroe, 38 Gilford Road Sandymount; an adjacent plaque records his contributions to church life.

In the south wall of the nave:

• ‘Rock of Ages’ by Evie Hone (1946) is in memory of Eleanor Mary Crookshank, wife of the Rev. C. Henry Crookshank who ministered in Sandymount from 1919 to 1922. 
•  ‘Floral Window’ (1956)commemorates Alfred and Emma Rohu, long-time members of the Congregation and well-known in the fur trade in Dublin. 

Furniture for Worship

Furniture formerly in Sandymount Presbyterian Church was moved to this building in 1975. Memorial items are the pulpit and lectern (Rev. Dr. John S. Crockett, Presbyterian Minister 1917-1952), the communion table (James Cunningham, an elder), the moderator’s chair (George R. Shaw), and two flanking chairs given by the Lewis Family in memory of their parents.

War Memorials

In the nave there is a stone tablet as a memorial to Edward Davey who was killed at the First World War Battle of Coronel (Chile) in 1914; this was formerly in the porch of Ringsend Methodist Church, being removed to Sandymount when the Ringsend building closed in 1961. A brass plate in the nave commemorates members of the Sandymount Methodist Congregation who served in the First World War 1914/18, and is directly opposite a marble memorial to four who died. There is nearby a larger marble memorial for the Ringsend members who gave their lives in that War; as with the Davey Memorial, this was formerly in Ringsend Church. In the transepts are two brass plates which are the War Memorials from Sandymount Presbyterian Church, removed from there on the union in 1975. The memorial to the fallen bears a fine enamelled depiction of the flags of the Allied nations. 

Other Memorials

The south transept contains a carved oak plaque to the memory of David Masson, who died at the age of 13 in a tragic road accident at Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow, in 1952. A number of other plaques in the nave are memorials to various members of the Congregation, some relating to practical items donated for use in its work and witness. Those commemorated are: Thomas & Ethel Aston, William A. McDowell, William A. Buttimer, Mr. & Mrs. John Moore, Herbert A. Boate, Herbert H. Markham, Richard Morgan, John N. Lea, Arthur W. Percival.

Ministers

Those who have served the Congregation as its Ministers in recent decades are:-