The history of Christ Church
Christ Church was built 1860s as the Parish of Mortlake and East Sheen grew. It’s a beautiful example of gothic revival architecture designed by the architect also responsible for the Royal College of Music and Selwyn College Cambridge. The history of its building also reveals a little known chapter in the life of one of Britain’s greatest writers.
1860: The Beginning of a New Church
Christ Church’s construction was funded by donations
St Mary the Virgin in Mortlake High Street had served as the church for the whole of the extensive Mortlake Parish since 1543. By the middle of the 19th century, with an increasing population and new housing at some distance from the parish church, there was a clear need for a new church at the southern end of the parish.
Parishioners who lived in East Sheen, notably Edward Penrhyn of The Cedars, took the initiative and in 1860 a call went out for funds. A Building Committee was formed, whose members read like a directory of the grand houses of East Sheen and Mortlake: James Stuart Wortley of East Sheen Lodge, Octavious Ommanney of The Planes, Charles Bagot of The Gables, Joshua Bates of Sheen House, Charles Ellis of The Orchard, William Gilpin of Palewell Lodge, Henry Kendall of The Limes, Josceline Percy (from whom Percy Lodge is named), Adolphus Liddell of Park Cottage, Henry Taylor of Uplands, Rev. FJH Reeves of Spencer House, Ottiwell Waterford the headmaster of Temple Grove School, and James Wigan of Cromwell House; with the perpetual curate Rev. John Manley as Chairman.
The architect & his assistant
By the end of 1861 the amount raised was sufficient for the Committee to instruct their chosen architect, Arthur Blomfield.
Blomfield, who’s work includes numerous churches, the Royal College of Music and Selwyn College, Cambridge was the ninth son of Charles James Blomfield, Anglican Bishop of London, who began a programme of new church construction in the capital. Born in Fulham Palace, Arthur Blomfield was educated at Rugby and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was then articled as an architect to Philip Charles Hardwick, and subsequently obtained a large practice on his own account.
The young Thomas Hardy joined Blomfield’s practice as assistant architect in April 1862. Hardy worked on Christ Church but ultimately left London, returning to Dorset to dedicate himself to writing; he remained friends with Blomfield.
1864: The Church is Built (after a small hiccup!)
Building didn’t exactly go to plan
Blomfield drew up plans for a church with a nave, chancel, south aisle and tower at the east end of the aisle. Provision was made for future enlargement by the addition of a north aisle, which was added in 1887. The church was designed to seat 400 in the nave and 125 in the aisle. The architectural style was 13th century northern French.
By early 1863 the building of the church was well advanced, and consecration planned for 16 April. But on Sunday 15 March, the tower collapsed, carrying a portion of the roof with it and destroying the main arch at the altar end. The Builder reported that there had been no clerk of the works appointed and, in the absence of the architect, the lower walls had been packed with rubble rather than being built of solid masonry. The work of clearing the site and rebuilding progressed quickly and the new church was consecrated on 13 January 1864.
The Parish of Mortlake & East Sheen
A team ministry
First recorded in 1247, East Sheen became a separate manor from Mortlake around 1500, the church has been a constant presence through reformations, civil war, restorations, world wars, time of peace, plenty and hardships. Through the coming of the railways to the modern day. The parish became a team ministry in the 1970s, it remains one parish with three Churches: St Mary’s Mortlake, Christ Church and All Saints East Sheen, the latter being built in 1929.
As a Church of England parish it is part of the Christian presence in every parish community, called to serve and live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ