Christ Church, Manchester Road, Cubitt Town

Christ Church was privately funded by William Cubitt, who built Cubitt Town in the 1840s and also gave the place its name. William Cubitt had acquired the land, in the south-east corner of the Isle of Dogs, from Margaret Lauretta, Countess of Glengall.  She had inherited the land from her father William Mellish.

The Church was built to serve the needs of the growing community on the Island.  The main building of Christ Church was finished in 1854 with seating for 500, at the cost £6,500.  William Cubitt gave the church to the Church of England in 1855 and it was consecrated two years later.  Christ Church was built in a simple English style of brick and Portland stone, with a bell tower and decorated spire 140 feet high.  Some of Portland stone may have come from the Old London Bridge demolish in 1832.   The Church has a Grade B listing, as a local landmark and for its internal Art Nouveau and Pre-Raphaelite furnishings.

The Island had its fair share of the bombs that fell on the East End during the Blitz.  Christ Church received some damage but survived the war.  However, with the fall in the population on the Island after the War, the Church Authorities decided to amalgamate the three Island Parishes and congregations in July 1952.   Christ Church was to be the Parish church, under the title Christ Church with St John and St Luke.  In 1965 another decision was taken to close St John and another new name was given the Church of Christ  and St John (formally Christ Church).