Christ Church is an

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

Church located in the suburb of

New Malden New Malden is an area in South West London, England. It is located mainly within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Merton, and is from Charing Cross. Neighbouring localities include Kingston, Norbiton, Raynes ...

in the

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a borough in southwest London. The main town is Kingston upon Thames and it includes Surbiton, Chessington, Malden Rushett, New Malden and Tolworth. It is the oldest of the four royal boroughs in Eng ...

, Greater London. Established on 3 December 1866, Christ Church is part of the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

, and is located in the Kingston Episcopal Area of the

Diocese of Southwark The Diocese of Southwark is one of the 42 dioceses of the Church of England, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The diocese forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. It was created on 1 May 1905 from part of the ancient Dio ...

. As of August 2022, Christ Church claims a weekly attendance of 750. The current vicar is Stephen Kuhrt, serving since 2007.

was a speedily growing town, with its first seven residential streets built throughout the late 1850s. On 17 November 1865, Charles Stirling, first vicar of Christ Church, proposed its construction to the New Malden Local Board, with the opening and

consecration Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

of Christ Church taking place on 3 December 1866. The Church was enlarged with a new

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ove ...

and

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is usually located ...

on 23 February 1878. On 12 November 1892, Stirling retired as vicar. Another extension to the church was built in 1966, with said hall later being demolished and replaced with a new entrance and new halls between 2017 and October 2018.

History

was a speedily growing town, with its first seven residential streets built throughout the late 1850s.

Reverend The Reverend is an style (manner of address), honorific style most often placed before the names of Christian clergy and Minister of religion, ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and c ...

Charles Stirling, an

evangelical Christian Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual exper ...

, noticed the need for a church in New Malden, and so on 17 November 1865 Stirling sent out a public notice to the New Malden Local Board requesting the permission to construct a church. He estimated that the cost would be "about £2,000".

Prince George, Duke of Cambridge Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (George William Frederick Charles; 26 March 1819 – 17 March 1904) was a member of the British royal family, a grandson of King George III and cousin of Queen Victoria. The Duke was an army officer by professio ...

, owner of the land, gave it to Christ Church. The building of the Church commenced in April 1866, with its

foundation stone The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. Over time ...

laid on 12 June. The opening and

of Christ Church took place on 3 December. It was consecrated by the

Diocese of Winchester The Diocese of Winchester forms part of the Province of Canterbury of the Church of England. Founded in 676, it is one of the older dioceses in England. It once covered Wessex, many times its present size which is today most of the historic enla ...

Charles Sumner Charles Sumner (January 6, 1811March 11, 1874) was an American statesman and United States Senator from Massachusetts. As an academic lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the anti-slavery forces in the state and a leader of th ...

, in a ceremony that was attended by a large congregation. That same day, Stirling was formally appointed as the first

vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

of Christ Church. On 23 February 1878, the Church was reopened and consecrated by the

Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. The town of Rochester has the bishop's seat, at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was foun ...

Anthony Thorold Anthony Wilson Thorold (13 June 1825 – 25 July 1895) was an Anglican Bishop of Winchester in the Victorian era. The son of a Church of England priest, he also served as Bishop of Rochester. It was in that role that he travelled throughou ...

, after the Church was enlarged with a new

and

. The chancel was provided by the Sim family as a memorial to their parents John Carsgoyne Sim and wife Margaretta. On 12 November 1892, Stirling resigned as vicar of Christ Church after serving for 25 years. He gave his last

sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. El ...

that Sunday. That same day, the board of trustees appointed William Allen Challacombe to the vicarage of Christ Church. He arrived in New Malden in January 1893. Christ Church was once again extended in 1894, taking a form still recognisable today as of 2022. Another extension to the church was built in 1966 on its west side, named the Vestry Hall, followed by the addition of a lounge and kitchen in 1981. New halls and a new entrance were constructed between 2017 and October 2018.

Vicars

Since Christ Church's foundation in 1866, there have been ten

vicars A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

. The current vicar is Stephen Kuhrt, serving since 2007.

References

External links

* {{coordinates, 51.40686, -0.25750, format=dms, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Churches in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames