Crowborough Community Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crowborough Community Church |
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| The Oasis | |
,_Crowborough.JPG)
The church from the southwest
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 Crowborough Community Church
Location in East Sussex
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| 51°03′38″N 0°09′38″E / 51.060576°N 0.160439°E | |
| Location | Beacon Road, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 1AS |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Evangelical |
| Previous denomination | Free Church of England |
| Tradition | Newfrontiers |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Christ Church |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 1879 |
| Founder(s) | Elizabeth de Lannoy |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
Crowborough Community Church is a Christian church located in Crowborough, a town in East Sussex, England. It is also known as The Oasis. For many years, it was called Christ Church.
The church building was constructed in 1879. It was paid for by a kind person named Elizabeth de Lannoy. The building is made of red brick and has a special stained glass window. It stands in a central spot in Crowborough. The church complex also includes rooms that were once used as schoolrooms and even a public library.
Contents
History of Crowborough Community Church
How Crowborough Grew
A long time ago, Crowborough was just a few small settlements. It wasn't a big town. But then, new railway lines were built. This made it easier for people to travel there. Also, large pieces of land became available for building homes.
Because of these changes, Crowborough grew very quickly. Between 1900 and 1910, the number of people living there tripled! Many of the buildings you see in Crowborough today were built during this time. Churches also started to appear.
The Church's Early Days
In 1879, Elizabeth de Lannoy, a generous local person, paid for a new church to be built. She named it Christ Church. She then gave it to the Free Church of England. This was a type of Protestant church.
Five years later, she also gave money to support the church's minister. The first minister was Bishop Samuel James Dicksee. He served the church from 1879 until he passed away in 1900. He also became the leader of the Free Church of England.
Elizabeth de Lannoy also paid for a house for Bishop Dicksee to live in. After he died, his wife paid for a new house for future ministers. This house is now privately owned. Elizabeth de Lannoy also funded schoolrooms and a lecture hall behind the church. The lecture hall was used as Crowborough's public library for many years.
A New Name and Purpose
Christ Church continued to be used by the Free Church of England for a long time. However, by 2008, it had closed its doors for worship.
Around the same time, a new Christian group called Crowborough Community Church was growing. This group started in 1997. They first met in a school. Some members from the old Christ Church joined this new group.
By 2015, Crowborough Community Church bought the old Christ Church building. They used it for meetings and activities. In 2018, after some repairs, church services started again in the building. Today, it is known as The Oasis.
What Does the Church Look Like?
Christ Church is a simple but special building. Its most noticeable feature is a very large window on the side facing the street. The church is built in a style called Gothic Revival architecture. It uses red brick with stone decorations.
The sides of the church have small windows that stick out from the roof. These are called dormer windows. Inside, there are special memorials. One is a plaque remembering Elizabeth de Lannoy. There is also a beautiful marble font, which is a basin used for baptisms.
How the Church is Run
Crowborough Community Church is officially registered as a place of worship. It is also registered to hold marriages. The church is part of two larger Christian groups: the Evangelical Alliance and the Newfrontiers movement.
See also
