‘Securing the future for St Mary’s with Christ Church’

Client: Wanstead Parochial Parish Council

Dates: 2020-2021

Project: ’Securing the future for St Mary’s with Christ Church’

Wanstead Parish is first recorded in 1208 but the current churches – St Mary the Virgin and Christ Church – were built in the 18^th and 19^th centuries respectively. St Mary’s is the first church built by the prominent architect, Thomas Hardwicke, and has his now distinctive ionic columns at its entrance. Christ Church was built almost a century later as a chapel of ease to St Mary’s to cope with the population expansion in Snaresbrook. Christ Church was designed by George Gilbert Scott at the height of the Gothic Revival. The Parish has successfully secured grants in the past including a Grant for Places of Worship to restore two of the walls of St. Mary’s. The parish currently has several community-based projects including a food bank and the hosting of a Syrian refugee family.

Alix has secured the grant for the ‘Securing the future for St Mary’s with Christ Church’ project which will develop the resilience of the Parish to secure the future of both churches. Architects are currently being procured to work with Alix on an options appraisal to explore how the churches can serve their communities better.

In the coming months we will be consulting with the congregation, local communities, schools, agencies working in the local area and potential partners to identify gaps which the Parish could potentially fill.