Wallington, Christchurch c.1960

Photo ref: W11083

Does anyone else remember a plane crashing into the tower of what I think was the Methodist church at the top of the High Street sometime in the 1950s? I vividly recall going up to see it with my mother when we lived in the town during the 1950s and early 60s and seeing the tailplane sticking out of the rubble of the spire at an acute angle against the sky. The story then was that the pilot ...see more

I'm not sure whether this church was called Christchurch or Christ's Church; but as I recall it was originally a Presbyterian church which merged with, the then Congregational Church in Holmwood Gardens to form the United Reformed Church. Christchurch was then closed and remained empty for many years until it was sadly demolished to make way for Sainsbury. Incidentally, seeing the old concrete lamp posts in this ...see more

I may only be 30 and these pictures are before my time - but up until recently I lived in Wallington all my life and remember this beautiful church. Seems such a shame now that it is gone and there is a grotesque giant Sainsbury's in its place with an even worse eye-sore of a bus shelter which usually has mouthy chavs congregating by it!