Christ Church, Herne Bay , Kent

Christ Church, Herne Bay Church

Image Source: Rob Baker

The seaside town of Herne Bay on Kent's north-east coast was originally a hamlet in the Parish of Herne, over a mile from the seafront. During the early 19th century it grew rapidly to become a fashionable and upmarket coastal resort. Christ Church was built in 1834-35 by a member of the new town's gentry, John Brough, as a privately owned Episcopal Chapel. Two adjacent schoolrooms were built to the north and south between 1836-39. In 1837 it was sold to businessman Thomas Wilson, who intended it for use as an ecumenical church to unite all the non-conformist groups with the partial use of Church of England liturgy. These attempts at ecumenism failed and in 1839 it was sold to the Church of England. In 1841 it became Herne Bay's Parish Church. The initial architect has not been officially named, but it is highly probable that it was designed by A.B. (Alfred Bowyer) Clayton. It was a brick built rectangular "preaching box" with two rows of tall lancet windows with simple Y-tracery. Its Gothick pinnacled west front had niches in which to receive statues, including a full-length figure of Christ above the west door. This proved unacceptable to the non-conformists, who refused to partake in further ecumenism unless they were removed. The west end incuded an upper gallery which is still in use today. Between 1867-68 the east end was rebuilt to bring it more into line with Anglican churches of the Victorian-era. The architects were the George & Vaughan partnership (Ernest George and Thomas Vaughan). The chancel was extended and transepts were added to the north and south, both containing a bold wheel window of twelve divisions. Sadly, the tiled reredos behind the altar has long since been covered by curtains. An organ chamber was added to the south of the chancel while to to the north a vestry was added. This was later intended to be the base of a tall north-easterly tower designed by Thomas Blashill, but due to a lack of funds, this 123ft tower was never built. The polychromed brick chancel arch was painted with a band of text exhorting worshippers to "Let us Heartily Rejoice in the Strength of Our Salvation." This can still be seen today. Two exits added in 1878 also had text written above their arches, both encouraging the departing congregation to "Go and Sin No More." The original 1830s west front had been replaced by a more soberly - and almost non-conformist - design. A pair of vestibules had been built onto the front either side of the original entrance portico. These were removed in the 1970s in favour of returning to a main west doorway, but the brick outline of the removed vestibules are still visible. This modern entrance was built in 1974 to plans designed by architect J.C. Clague. The wooden bench seating throughout the church dates from the 1878 restoration (possibly carried out by Thomas Blashill), as do the stained-glass in the east window and both the rose windows in the transepts, which was manufactured by Heaton, Butler and Bayne. The stained-glass in the smaller western windows in both transepts were added around the turn of the 20th century. Both windows were designed by W.B. (William Butler) Simpson. A later stained-glass window in one of the nave lancets was added in 1966. Made by the Maile studios in Canterbury, it depicts St. Francis and St. Aidan. The small tracery light at the top of each of the nave windows features a small design relating to Herne Bay. Many of them depict a heron, a bird that has recently become a commonly used symbol of the town. The south transept was originally used as a Lady Chapel, but in 1974 this was rededicated as a Chapel to St. John the Evangelist, to preserve the memory of a sister church built a few streets away in 1898-02. Designed by Diocesan Architect R. Philip Day, St. John the Evangelist was a large Victorian Gothic church which closed in 1973 and was demolished in 1974. The proceeds from the sale of St. John's and the joining together of the two congregations made funds available for the modern refurbishment of the west end and the building of a new Church Centre and community hall wrapped around the existing east end. This modern addition was designed by Anthony Wade who also designed parts of the University of Kent at Canterbury. Unfortunately it does nothing but detract from the overall aesthetic of the east end of the church, but has enabled Christ Church to play a visible and active part in its local community. Text by Rob Baker.

1851 Census Details

Seating Capacity: 840

Morning Attendance: 330

Afternoon Attendance: No service

Evening Attendance: 530

Architecture Details

Original Build Date/Architect: Vaughan 1834

Restoration: 1868

Second Restoration:

Notes

Website

http://www.christchurch-hernebay.info

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