Then
Now
Christ Church, c.1875
Christchurch, c.2005
The Junior School c.1910
The Junior School 1996
Then |
Now |
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Christ Church, c.1875 |
Christchurch, c.2005 |
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The Junior School c.1910
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The Junior School 1996
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Christ Church Ottershaw was built through the benevolance of Sir Thomas Edward Colebrooke owner of Ottershaw Park 1859 - 1883. He provided sufficient land from the estate for a church, churchyard and vicarage and paid all the construction costs and endowed the church with £100 per year. The church was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott and was consecrated in 1864. The first map to show the Church is that of Ryde, 1865. The original building had only a spire. The tower, with spire above and the peal of six bells, was added in 1885-1886, the gift of Edward Gibb. The tower clock is a memorial to the Rev. Baron Hichens (incumbent 18** - 19**) and was added in 1902. The pews are made from wood from the Ottershaw estate.
The original vicarage on the Guildford Road was built at the expense of Sir Thomas Edward Colebrooke in 1864. The premises were red brick and tile and included 10 bedrooms, stabling and a coach house. The building was sold in 1934 to Lieut. Col. E.P. Cawston and it was converted into Ottershaw Park Preparatory School which opened on May 1st that year under the Headmaster A Howard Evans.
A new vicarage was built in Cross Lane in 1935. Later , the old building was converted into flats known as variously as Beech Hall or The Beeches. In 1937 it was bought by The Culture Travel Association, London and according to Barker and Barker converted in 1939 - 40 to form Grove Park School for boys. In the 1970's it's use reverted to flats and in 1983 it was demolished and replaced by eight houses in a road now aptly named Beech Hall.
The Parish room was erected in 1896 near the Junior school (now Colebrooke Place) in what was formerly the kitchen gardens of the Vicarage. It was built of corrugated iron with a slate roof and continued in regular use until 1930 when the Brook Hall was built. There are newspaper accounts of Ottershaw Football Club dances, political meetings and Girl Guide shows being held there. In 1934 the Drill Hall as it was then known was sold to Lieut. Col. E.P. Cawston together with the old vicarage. Cawston set up a "tearoom or place of refreshment" much to the disapproval of many local residents, businesses and the Council. Later it was used by the scouts for some time. It was bought by Richard Cook of Windsor Street, Chertsey in 1968 along with the plot of land on which it stands and remains to the present day, re-roofed in corrugated iron but in a very delapidated condition.
The Church of England or National School on Guildford Road was opened in 1870 and built at the expense of Sir Thomas Edward Colebrooke. It was originally built to house 120 pupils in separate infants and junior departments and also received children from the Workhouse, and after 1885 from the Meath homes in Brox Road. The school continued here until 1967 when it moved to other premises in Bousley Rise. From 1968 to 1982 it was used as a remedial centre and in 1985 converted into seven residences known as Colebrooke Place.