Guildford, Christ Church
In the 19th century the now separate parishes of Christ Church;
St Saviour’s; Emmanuel, Stoughton and St Peter’s, Stoke
Hill all lay within the single parish of Stoke-next-Guildford. By
the middle of the century it had become apparent that the small
parish church of St. John’s could not provide for the needs
of the rapidly growing population in the north-east part of
Guildford. Daughter churches were planned and the Rector of Stoke,
the Reverend Francis Paynter, who held the living from 1862 to
1896, played a major part in the development, which led in 1868 to
the building of a Chapel of Ease, now the nave of Christ
Church.
When houses began to be built in the London Road and Waterden
Road areas, Samuel Paynter (father of Francis), who had then been
succeeded by his son as Rector of Stoke, undertook, at his own
expense, to build a church on a site in Waterden Road. The plot of
land on which the church now stands was accordingly acquired from
the Trustees of the estate of William and Mary Ann Newland of
Bramley for the sum of £300 and conveyed to the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners by deed dated 20th June 1867.
Having acquired the land, building was started in July of the
same year. Two months later on 5th September the foundation stone
was laid. What is now the nave was completed in 1868 and
consecrated on the 27th August 1868. While supported by donations
from the whole of the parish of Stoke-next-Guildford and a generous
donation from his father, Samuel Paynter, there is no doubt that a
substantial part of the expense of the building was borne by the
Rector himself. It is known that he gave his successor at Stoke,
Bishop Ingham, a cheque for £600 so that he could finish
building the tower in 1899. Following the completion of the nave in
1869, substantial building work continued, and in 1873 the chancel,
the north aisle, including that part which is now the organ chamber
and which was then the vestry, and the north-west porch with the
lowest section of the tower above were completed. Consecration then
took place on the 1st January 1874. After a rather longer interval
the new vestry was added in 1889 and the main building was finally
completed at the turn of the century when the tower and south aisle
were duly consecrated.
A straight forward micro which is placed by a road so keep an
eye out for passing muggles.
The cache has a log book only plus micro certificates but no pen
so please bring one with you.
If anybody would like
to expand this series please do, I would just ask that you could
let sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church
numbers and names to avoid duplication