Annual General Meeting 2023
Saturday 20th May 2023
All Saints (Presbyterian) Church,
Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2ES
All Saints' Church, exterior - All Saints' interior - Saint Ann's Church
PROGRAMME
Attendance at the AGM and for the talks at All Saints is free of charge.
Optional refreshments at All Saints (morning tea/coffee; lunchtime buffet) £16.50
11.00 a.m. Foregather in All Saints Church (tea/coffee/biscuits for those who have paid for refreshments)
11.30 a.m. Talk - Richard Pears on David Stephenson and All Saints Church (free)
12:00 noon Talk - The minister or church member on The Refurbishment of All Saints (free)
12.30 p.m. Buffet lunch in All Saints Church (for those who have paid for refreshments)
1.30 p.m. AGM in All Saints Church (free)
2:00 - 3.00 p.m. Time to explore All Saints Church (free)
3:15 p.m. (approx.) Talk - Richard Pears on William Newton and St. Ann's Church (free)
Followed by optional Afternoon Tea at St. Ann's (£6:00 donation requested)
This year our Annual General Meeting event included visits to two Georgian churches by renowned Newcastle architects.
We began at All Saints (now Presbyterian) Church - the fine classical building seen on the right as you come across the Tyne Bridge from Gateshead. An exceptional building with a unique oval worship space and highly refined spire erected in 1786-96 to a design by David Stephenson, replacing the (collapsing) medieval All Hallows church on the same site. Foregathering over tea/coffee was followed by talks firstly on the architect and his design, and then on the recent award-winning refurbishment by the Presbyterian Church group which has taken a long lease of the building from Newcastle City Council. The formal business meeting followed a buffet lunch (provided by Boldon Farmhouse Pantry) and we then had about an hour to fully explore and appreciate this remarkable church.
A fifteen minute walk on fairly level streets took us eastward to St. Ann's church, originally a chapel-of-ease within All Saints' Parish. Rebuilt in 1764-68 to a design by William Newton, reputedly using stone from the quayside section of the medieval town walls. A talk on the architect and his design was followed by afternoon tea, provided by members of the congregation.
Getting there
