| Administrative History | The Parish of Christ Church has its origins in 1878 when members of the congregation of St John's Sidcup presented a memorial to the Archbishop of Canterbury complaining that the teaching and views of their new vicar were strongly opposed to the evangelical ones of his predecessor. They accordingly decided to build an iron chapel-of-ease in Chislehurst Road on land granted by Lord Sydney. This was completed and opened in February 1879. It had been hoped that the building would be licensed by the Archbishop under the Private Chapels Act but no licence was forthcoming. Consequently, Christ Church opened under the auspices of the Reformed Episcopal Church.In January 1881 the congregation severed its connection with the Reformed Episcopal Church and in February the Iron Church was licensed by the Church of England. In 1896 a new ecclesiastical district was formed for Christ Church consisting of that part of All saints, Foots Cray from the west side of Crescent Road to the western boundary of the parish and a site for a permanent building was obtained. The new church was consecrated in October 1901. |