Christ Church - the original building was designed by Sir Charles Nicholson
"The campaign commenced in 1918 by members of the Church of the Good Shepherd with the object of raising funds for the building of the permanent church continued during the following years and by 1921 the site situated at the north end of Warwick Road had been acquired from the Southend-on-Sea Estates Co. Sir Charles Nicholson had been appointed architect and a contract made with Messrs. J. C. Flaxman & Sons to build the church in red brick, with Monks Park Stone for the window dressings, coping etc.
The original design was for a central nave flanked by north and south aisles but as it was not possible to proceed with all of this plan the building was erected with the completed north aisle which is now the nave and approximately one half of the intended nave... No part of the south aisle was built.
The cost of the completed part of the church was £4640.3.7 excluding land and furnishing..."
The original design was for a central nave flanked by north and south aisles but as it was not possible to proceed with all of this plan the building was erected with the completed north aisle which is now the nave and approximately one half of the intended nave... No part of the south aisle was built.
The cost of the completed part of the church was £4640.3.7 excluding land and furnishing..."
"It is not clear why Christ Church was chosen as the dedication. The name submitted to the bishop... was to St. Peter but there appears to be no record why this was not approved or why Christ Church was substituted.
The name Christ Church has ancient connections with Southchurch as in 823/824 Leofstan (hence Lifstan Way) a Saxon thegn presented the manor and church of Southchurch to the monks of Christ Church Canterbury; but it is only conjecture whether this has any relevance to the dedication of our present church."
Copyright Angus Woolner
An extract from "Brief Histories of The Church of the Good Shepherd Southchurch Beach and Christ Church Southchurch Thorpe Bay" by T. Angus Woolner:
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Sir Charles Nicholson, our architect, was nationally known. Locally he designed St Alban's Church at Westcliff amd St Michael's in Leigh. He was involved in the completion of All Saints, Southend. In 1912 he purchased Porters to save it from demolition, which he later sold to the Borough Council for the Civic House and 'Mayor's Parlour' (from information produced by Southend Borough Council and All Saints, July 2003)
St Peter’s, Bradwell, built by St Cedd
in the 7th century
in the 7th century
