I have walked by “Church of Our Lady and St Nicholas”:http://www.livpc.co.uk/ many times on my way to and from Albert Dock in Liverpool and never gone in. This past May an aunt and I ventured inside with an uncle who used to work on the corn exchange in Liverpool, one of the supporters of the church. The building seems dwarfed by the Liver Building and other buildings along the docks but it is easy to find if you’re in the area as the golden ship on the steeple stands out, reflective of the church’s history in shipping. Opened in 1952, it is the Anglican Parish Church of Liverpool. However, the history goes much further back as there are records of a place of worship on this site going back over 700 years. The 1774 church was bombed in 1940 so the current church is the most recent incarnation.
The decoration inside also reflects the maritime history – from the stained glass windows to the Grail Boat by Greg Tricker carved out of 500 year old English oak to the Rood cross (that looks like an anchor) above the main Altar. I will return on future visits to Liverpool to spend some time in the gardens – a quiet spot in the city – and explore more of the maritime influence.
