The Church of Christ Church, Emery Down

Christ Church was consecrated in 1864 and designed by William Butterfield, who was a prestigious architect of the 19th century. Better known for his designs for Winchester Hospital and All Saints Margaret Street in London, his considerable talents are shown here in the way he could also undertake a much smaller and more intimate project. Christ Church is built of polychrome Cornish brick and Bath stone. Seating about 100 people, it has a delightfully domestic atmosphere and fits perfectly into its village environment.

Most of the windows were also designed by Butterfield and the east end was given in memory of Jonathan Hargreaves, who became the father-in-law of Alice (of Wonderland fame) when she married his son, Reginald.

The present altar frontal `For all Seasons' was completed in 1989. Designed and embroidered by local artist, Joan Van Schaick, the leaves in the season's liturgical colours were worked by many members of the congregation.

The bell inside the church, at the south-west corner, was originally the school bell from next door and was 'rescued' when the school ceased to function in the 1950s.

The church was the gift of Admiral Boultbee who came to live in the parish of Minstead at the beginning of the 19th century. He became the village's principal benefactor,building a school and alms house as well as a church. Largely because of his efforts, the parish itself was created from that of Minstead. After his death, he left his house `The Cottage' (previously the inn `The Running Horse') to the parish as the vicarage.