Christ Church, Lambeth
Encyclopedia
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, was founded by the Rev Dr Christopher Newman Hall
Christopher Newman Hall
Rev. Dr. Christopher Newman Hall LLB , born at Maidstone and known in later life as a 'Dissenter's Bishop', was one of the most celebrated nineteenth century English Nonconformist divines...
in the 1870s as a Congregational chapel forming part of a complex of new mission buildings, including the Lincoln Tower
Lincoln Memorial Tower
The Lincoln Memorial Tower or Lincoln Tower is a Gothic revival tower in London, housing small meeting rooms, that was opened in 1876 in memory of Abraham Lincoln, and paid for partly by Americans. Once part of a complex of nineteenth century philanthropic institutions sited alongside a...
and a new premises for Hawkstone Hall. On Newman Hall's retirement, it passed to F.B.Meyer
Frederick Brotherton Meyer
Frederick Brotherton Meyer , a contemporary and friend of D. L. Moody and A. C. Dixon, was a Baptist pastor and evangelist in England involved in ministry and inner city mission work on both sides of the Atlantic...
.
Christopher Newman Hall's
Christopher Newman Hall
Rev. Dr. Christopher Newman Hall LLB , born at Maidstone and known in later life as a 'Dissenter's Bishop', was one of the most celebrated nineteenth century English Nonconformist divines...
Christ Church took its congregation largely from his previous chapel, the famous independent Methodist and Congregational Surrey Chapel
Surrey Chapel
The Surrey Chapel was an independent Methodist and Congregational church established in Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London on 8 June 1783 by the Rev. Rowland Hill. His work was continued in 1833 by the Congregational pastor Rev. James Sherman, and in 1854 by Rev. Newman Hall. The chapel's design...
that had been founded by the Rev. Rowland Hill
Rowland Hill (preacher)
Rowland Hill A.M. , was a popular English preacher, enthusiastic evangelical and an influential advocate of small-pox vaccination. He was founder and resident pastor of a wholly independent chapel, the Surrey Chapel, London; chairman of the Religious Tract Society; and a keen supporter of the...
and continued by Rev James Sherman
James Sherman (minister)
The Rev. James Sherman , was a Congregationalist and abolitionist; a popular preacher at The Castle Street Chapel in Reading from 1821 to 1836 and the Surrey Chapel, Blackfriars, London from 1836-54. He was successor at the Surrey Chapel to Rowland Hill...
.
The Modern-day chapel
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
), which had also been destroyed during the war (the Lambeth Road Upton Chapel had been built in 1862, providing a purpose-built chapel for baptist meetings that had been originated in 1785 by James Upton).
Today the chapel is known in this combined form, as Christ Church & Upton Chapel United Reformed, and more recently as Church.co.uk, Waterloo following its association with the Oasis Trust
Oasis Trust
Oasis Trust is a UK-based Christian registered charity. It was founded by Rev Steve Chalke in August 1985, who had been assistant minister at Tonbridge Baptist Church, Kent, for four years...
(the aims of the Oasis Trust are to provide and support education, housing, health care and employment across the world, as well as support and leadership to local churches).
The modern-day chapel looks inconspicuous on the outside, being integrated into an office block of a modernist architectural style. Its historic roots become clearer in its interior, which is now used as a cafe as well as a chapel. Here, a plaque, dating from 1894, has been displayed – salvaged from its bomb-damaged predecessor chapel built by Christopher Newman Hall
Christopher Newman Hall
Rev. Dr. Christopher Newman Hall LLB , born at Maidstone and known in later life as a 'Dissenter's Bishop', was one of the most celebrated nineteenth century English Nonconformist divines...
. This reads:
The interior also hosts an attractive stained glass window of considerable span, which partially illuminates the chapel from the east and depicts religious scenes.
On the exterior of the modern chapel, a foundation stone records some of the details its rebuilding in 1959. The architect was P.J.Darvall ARIBA, the minister was Rev. P. Saunders, and the stone was laid by J. Rider Smith.
The Victorian chapel
The Victorian 'Christ Church' was bombed during the Second World War, and only the associated Lincoln Memorial TowerLincoln Memorial Tower
The Lincoln Memorial Tower or Lincoln Tower is a Gothic revival tower in London, housing small meeting rooms, that was opened in 1876 in memory of Abraham Lincoln, and paid for partly by Americans. Once part of a complex of nineteenth century philanthropic institutions sited alongside a...
, an adjoining part of the original 'Christ church' complex, remains to this day. However, the original foundation stone of Christopher Newman Hall's
Christopher Newman Hall
Rev. Dr. Christopher Newman Hall LLB , born at Maidstone and known in later life as a 'Dissenter's Bishop', was one of the most celebrated nineteenth century English Nonconformist divines...
Christ Church was salvaged after the destruction of the Second World War, and has been conveniently placed at the foot of the nearby Lincoln Memorial Tower
Lincoln Memorial Tower
The Lincoln Memorial Tower or Lincoln Tower is a Gothic revival tower in London, housing small meeting rooms, that was opened in 1876 in memory of Abraham Lincoln, and paid for partly by Americans. Once part of a complex of nineteenth century philanthropic institutions sited alongside a...
on Westminster Bridge Road. It reads;
See also
- List of churches in Lambeth
- Westminster Bridge RoadWestminster Bridge RoadWestminster Bridge Road is a short, but busy, road in London, England. It runs on an east-west axis and passes through the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark....