Christ Church Free Church Of England, Broadstairs , Kent

Christ Church Free Church Of England, Broadstairs Church

Image Source: Rob Baker

Christ Church (Free Church of England) was set up in c1901 to provide Anglican worship for people unhappy with the spiritual direction taken by the Broadstairs Parish Church of Holy Trinity. From 1866, Holy Trinity decided to adopt a more High Church and Anglo-Catholic style of worship. In response to this growing movement within Anglicanism of rediscovering the Catholic roots of the faith, the Free Church of England had seceded from the official Church of England and worldwide Anglican Communion in 1844. The Free Church of England maintains an Evangelical and Calvinistic theological position and continues with Anglican worship while remaining outside the Church of England; despite several Anglican churches in the subsequent decades taking up Evangelical positions but still choosing to remain within the Church of England. The architect responsible for the building of Christ Church, Broadstairs is hitherto unknown, but the present church was built in 1904 and dedicated in 1905. It replaced an iron "tin tabernacle" on the same site that had been erected in c1901. The iron church was then sold to another Christian denomination that needed a temporary Mission Hall. An unconfirmed suggestion is that it was sold to the (official) Church of England and erected in 1905 as the Mission Church for the hamlet of Conyer on the Faversham Creek. When the Conyer Mission was no longer viable, the "tin tabernacle" was shipped across the Swale Estuary to the church of Holy Trinity at Queenborough, where it was fitted to the north side of the church as a vestry and Parish Hall. For those expecting an austere church building without much adornment; the interior of Christ Church comes as somewhat of a surprise. The ceiling above the chancel has been painted in azure blue with gold stars lavishly added for decorative effect. Behind the Lord's Table there is a circular Della Robbia depicting Christ and his disciples at the Last Supper. This imagery is flanked by two oval ceramic carvings depicting angels. The east wall features stencilling of biblical text either side of the high east window, which has a small piece of stained-glass in each of its five panels. The Lord's Table is surrounded by the typical pre-Ecclesiological text boards of the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed and the Ten Commandments. The ecclesiastical furnishings have been made from varnished wood; including the font (the Free Church of England maintains the traditional Anglican position of infant baptism); the lectern in the standard design of an eagle; and the pulpit, complete with a canopy (tester) above it; highlighting the importance of the Word of God over the sacramental Eucharist. Text by Rob Baker.

1851 Census Details

Seating Capacity: not built

Morning Attendance: not built

Afternoon Attendance: not built

Evening Attendance: Not built

Architecture Details

Original Build Date/Architect: 1904

Restoration:

Second Restoration:

Notes

Website

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