Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parish of Christ Church, Camberwell , Church of England
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
In the early 19th century, North Peckham was mostly fields and market gardens. The opening of the Surrey Canal and the development of the South Metropolitan Gasworks saw the population grow and Christ Church was formed out of the parish of St Giles Camberwell in 1838 to serve the needs of these new residents. It had originally been named Saint Thomas's, but the name was changed by 1842.
The rapid expansion of the gas works led to the original building being demolished and a new church being built in 1868 on the opposite side of the Old Kent Road. Badly damaged by bombing in September 1941, the church remained a ruin for 15 years before funds were found to rebuild the church, where it remains today.