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Christ Church, Emery Down facts for kids

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Christ Church
Christ Church, Emery Down, New Forest.jpg
Religion
Affiliation Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Active
Year consecrated 1864
Location
Location Emery Down, Hampshire, England
Architecture
Architect(s) William Butterfield
Architectural type Church

Christ Church is a special church in Emery Down, Hampshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England. A famous architect named William Butterfield designed it. The church was built a long time ago, between 1863 and 1864. Since 1987, it has been a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.

How Christ Church Started

Christ Church was built for people living in the small villages around Lyndhurst. These villages included Emery Down and Bank. The main church in Lyndhurst was not big enough for everyone. It was also said to be cold and drafty.

A man named Admiral Frederick Moore Boultbee lived in Emery Down. He saw that people needed a closer church. So, he paid for Christ Church to be built all by himself. It cost about £1,300 to build. The Admiral also gave £1,700 to help the church keep running. This kind of gift is called an endowment.

The church plans were drawn by William Butterfield from London. Builders named Messrs. Hillary from Andover constructed the church. Building started in the middle of 1863. The church was officially opened on May 26, 1864. This opening ceremony is called a consecration. The Bishop of Winchester, Charles Sumner, led the ceremony. After Christ Church was finished, Emery Down became its own church area, separate from Lyndhurst.

What Christ Church Looks Like

Christ Church is built using local bricks. It also has special Bath stone decorations and a tiled roof. Most of the bricks are red. Some blue bricks are used to make patterns, which is called diapering.

The church was designed to hold 165 people. It has a main open area called a nave. There's also a chancel, which is the part near the altar. It has a room for the organ and a vestry, where clergy prepare. There's also a porch at the front. At the back, there's a small tower called a bellcote with one bell inside.

The floor in the nave has red and black square tiles. The chancel floor has special patterned tiles called encaustic tiles from Mintons. The church seats, called pews, are made of stained wood. The stand for reading (lectern) and the altar table are made of oak wood. The pulpit, where sermons are given, sits on a stone base. In 1915, a special plaque was put in the church. It remembers Admiral Boultbee, who died in 1876.

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