Christ Church, Gipsy Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Gipsy Hill |
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| 51°25′18″N 0°05′01″W / 51.4217°N 0.0836°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://www.gipsyhill.org.uk |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | John Giles & Brian Drury |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Lambeth South Deanery |
| Archdeaconry | Lambeth |
| Diocese | Diocese of Southwark |
| Province | Canterbury |
Christ Church is a special church in Gipsy Hill, London. It's part of the Church of England. The church has a tall, old tower. This tower is from the original Victorian building. It's now a private home and a famous landmark. It's also a Grade II Listed Building, meaning it's historically important.
Contents
The Church's Community
How Gipsy Hill Grew
Long ago, in the early 1800s, Gipsy Hill was mostly quiet woodland. Not many people lived there. There were some small houses and bigger homes for richer families.
But things changed when the amazing Crystal Palace opened nearby in 1854. Then, the Gipsy Hill railway station opened in 1856. These new additions made many more homes get built in the area.
Forming the Parish
The area around Christ Church became its own church community, called a parish. It was created from a part of St Luke's Church in West Norwood.
In 1862, a temporary church made of iron was set up. It could hold 500 people. This was on the west side of Gipsy Hill.
Building the Permanent Church
A few years later, a permanent church was built. It was a short distance north of the temporary one. The land for the new church was given by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Building started in 1866. The church was officially opened on June 5, 1867.
Church Life Over Time
In 1886, about 4,668 people lived in the church's area. Three clergy members worked at Christ Church. About one-third of the local people attended church services. By 1901, the population grew to 5,338. In 1902, two clergy members were working there. About 28% of the local people attended services.
For most of its history, Christ Church had a smaller, second church. This was called St Jude's mission church. It was built in 1880. St Jude's closed in the 1960s and was later taken down. A community center opened in 1995. For some years, this center was also used for church services.
Based on information from the UK census, the Diocese of Southwark estimates the population of Christ Church parish was 6,200 in 2001. By 2011, it had grown slightly to 6,300 people.
The Church Building
Original Victorian Design
Christ Church is a listed building with a Grade II rating. This means it's an important historical building. It stands in a noticeable spot on the west side of Gipsy Hill. The church that opened in 1867 was designed by John Giles. It was a large building made of ragstone with slate roofs. It had a main hall (nave), side sections (aisles), and a short rounded end (chancel).
At first, only 40 feet of the tower were built. More work was done in 1889. This finished the tower and added a vestry (a room for clergy) and a porch. The building was officially listed as important in 1981.
The Fire and New Building
Sadly, most of the old Victorian church was destroyed by a fire in 1982. Almost the only part left from the 1800s was the tower.
A new church building was then built on the cleared land. It was designed by Brian Drury. The new church has a hexagonal (six-sided) worship area. This area connects to an entrance lobby. It also connects to the Goodliffe Hall, which was built in the 1960s and survived the fire. The new building is made of strong concrete. It has wooden roof supports. You enter the church from Highland Road.
The Famous Tower
The Victorian church tower has four levels. It has a short, pointed roof and small turrets at the corners. After the 1982 fire, the tower was changed. It was made taller and a lift was added. It is now a very unique private house called "Highland Tower." Because it's so big and sits high on a steep hill, this tower is a well-known landmark in the area.
