Building Christ Church: 1991 to 2006

Fire and Flood

In the early hours of New Year’s Day 1995, a fire spread rapidly through the Parish Halls. Len and Trixie Leeming raised the alarm at 4.30 am and soon afterwards six pumps were being used by the Fire Brigade to get the blaze under control. The fire in the Parish Halls was almost certainly the result of arson by an intruder who broke into the kitchen and started the blaze in the ‘comfy room’. However the culprit was never found. Photos show the extent of the damage inflicted by the fire.

Photo showing the Parish Hall exterior after the 1996 fire, with visible damage to the roof

Photo of the Parish Hall interior (upper floor) after the 1996 fire, showing damage done

The Halls were refurbished and were eventually reopened by the Bishop of Southwark, Roy Williamson, on 15th March 1996.

They were afflicted again in June 2015, this time by a flood following a water main burst in the High Street, before they were again restored.

Reordering the interior

Towards the end of Stewart Downey’s time as Vicar, the idea arose to reorder the interior of Christ Church. First raised at a PCC meeting in February 2004, the aim was to make the worship space more flexible and suitable for the needs of a 21st century church.

During the interregnum the scheme went ahead with the removal of the pews, old lighting, floor and chancel furniture in the autumn of 2006.

Photo showing the Holy Table before the re-ordering

Photo of the church interior prior to the re-ordering, the view is up the central aisle towards the chancel and east wall, pews visible either side of the aisle

Photo showing the re-ordering at an early stage, looking towards the west wall. In view are a number of CCNM volunteers, working on removal of the oak screen, with pews already removed

Photo of the church interior during the re-ordering after removal of the floor, as viewed towards the east wall

These were replaced with the wooden floor, chairs, chancel furniture, lighting, screens and cameras that we currently use.

Photo of the re-ordering showing the new floor, as viewed towards the west wall

Photo of the re-ordering showing work in progress on fixing the removable communion rail on the raised platform

The work was completed by April 2007.

Photo of the church interior following the re-ordering, looking east with the new chairs in place either side of the aisle

Photo following the re-ordering showing the new church platform, with new pulpit in place and chairs for the music group

All of this was chiefly led by Churchwarden of Christ Church between 2003 and 2008, Trevor Webster.

Building CCNM 1976-90

Stewart Downey

Life at CCNM 1991-2006

Building CCNM 2007-present