St Cedd's Church, Canning Town facts for kids

St Cedd's Church is a historic building in Canning Town, east London. It was once a Church of England church. The church was named after Cedd, an important early Christian missionary. He helped spread Christianity in the area of Essex.

The building is located between Newham Way and Chadwin Road. It has a long history, changing its purpose over the years. Today, it serves a different religious community.

What is St Cedd's Church?

St Cedd's Church was originally built for the Church of England. It is in Canning Town, a part of east London. The church was dedicated to Saint Cedd. He was a very important person in early English history. Saint Cedd helped bring Christianity to the people of Essex. This is the county where Canning Town is located.

The church building has seen many changes. It started as a simple hall. Over time, it grew into a larger church. Later, it was damaged and then rebuilt. Today, it is home to a different church group.

Early Beginnings of the Church

The story of St Cedd's Church began in 1903. It first opened as a simple brick hall. This hall was a mission of St Andrew's Church, Plaistow. A mission is like a smaller, local branch of a main church. It helps serve people in a specific area.

In 1905, the area around the hall became a "mission district." This district was created from parts of two nearby parishes. These were the parishes of St Andrew's and St Luke's. A parish is a local church area.

From Mission to Parish

The mission district grew over the years. By 1936, it became a separate parish. This meant it was no longer just a branch. It was its own independent church community. To serve this new parish, a new church building was needed.

A new red-brick church was finished in 1939. This was the main building that stood for many years. It was a place of worship for the local community.

Changes and New Life

In 1961, the parish of St Cedd's grew even more. Part of the former parish of Holy Trinity Church was added to it. This made the St Cedd's community larger.

However, the church faced challenges. In 1995, the building was damaged by fire. This was a difficult time for the community. The church could no longer be used for services.

Restoration and Reopening

After the fire, the church building needed a lot of work. It was carefully restored and repaired. This restoration took many years. Finally, in 2007, the building was ready to open again.

When it reopened, it had a new purpose. It became the home of the London Ghana Seventh-day Adventist congregation. This means a new church community now uses the historic building. It continues to be a place of worship and community gathering.