The Friday Photo: Christchurch Passage

Christchurch Passage, that runs from Waterloo Street to New Street along side Victoria Square, is the only clue that a church existed there. Christchurch was opened in 1805 and was built to cater for the ever expanding population in the city. Church pews were owned or rented in general which made it hard for those who were less well off to attend church. Christchurch was known as a free church, anyone could worship there. However, as the city became more industrialised and people moved further out of the city centre, the congregation dwindled. In 1897 the church was closed and knocked down in 1899.