Our roots

The building of Christ Church was instigated by the Vicar of Chesham in the 1860s, the Reverend Aylward, who saw the need for a church to serve the growing population of Waterside. Revd Aylward was the first Vicar of Christ Church until the ecclesiastical parish was established in 1867. Christ Church was a parish church, with St George’s Tylers Hill as a daughter church, until 1980 when the parish of Great Chesham was formed. The building is a fine example of Victorian neo-Gothic architecture and is is good conditioncomprising the main nave and south aisle. The nave has an attractive roof and the stained glass windows are a feature at the east end of the church. Christ Church has moved with the times and there is a communion area extending from the old chancel into the nave. An unobtrusive, but effective sound system ensures that everyone can hear clearly. It was always planned to extend Christ Church by having a north aisle and a tower or spire, but the various plans never came to fruition. The present hall which was completed in 1986 was built on the site of the possible north aisle. Christ Church was, and still is, the only church in the district of Waterside. It would appear that by the 1900s and until the end of the second World War, Christ Church’s worship, youth clubs, men’s meetings, women’s meetings etc. were a very important part of life in Waterside.