Over the years since its founding in 1759, Christ Church has maintained archives of the writings, notes, and sermons of its rectors & readers; documents relating to work of the Vestry and various committees; paintings, drawing, and sketches of the building and environs; and other materials. These form a documentary history not only of the parish, but of the times, quiescent and turbulent, that affected the church and which it, in turn, affected.
We hope to enlarge this page over time to provide scholars and lay people access to some of this wealth. In the meantime, we present a few of the many photographs and interesting documents we cherish.
A Little Background
As noted on the Home Page, Christ Church was designed by the famed architect, Peter Harrison, who created the building to be taken apart and enlarged when the fledgling congregation outgrew the smaller structure. The construction was completed and the new church opened its doors for services in 1761. Almost one hundred years after it's dedication, the church was cut in half and enlarged by the size of two windows, the remaining box pews were replaced by stall pews using the timbers from the earlier arrangement, and two extra columns were added on each side of the church to support the roof.
There are only a few drawings from the earlier period, none presently available to scan. In the mid-1900s, the picture below was manufactured to show the shorter version of the church with only five windows along the side in the sanctuary. The structure to the right of the tower is the Rectory, 1 Garden Street, purchased by the parish in 1916 and leased until it could be renovated to serve as a Rectory in 1925. The home is clearly visible in a woodcut from the early 19th century, and, although it was not built simultaneously with the church, the two buildings form a coherent unit.
In the 1890s the picture below was taken which clearly shows the seven windows along the side of the church from the enlargement done in 1857. The small structure attached in the back is the present day Vestry Room. The structure occupies the space of an earlier carriage shed built in the 1840s.
Although the cost of the enlargement was a mere $2,250.00, an economic panic throughout the nation in 1857 made it necessary for the Vestry to borrow the final $500 to pay off the contractor. Below is the "Report" to the Vestry of the Committee charged with managing the enlargement.
The Parish Hall, not visible in either of the above two pictures, began as a single room added in 1854 to the west side (the above views are of the east side of the church) for the Sunday School classroom. Over time it has been added to and renovated, the most recent renovation being in the early 1990s. The photograph below was taken in 1897 and shows the auditorium during "Mrs. Thorndike's Annual Fair".
The interior of Christ Church today is much as it was in the earliest days with one stark difference: when the church was built it was the custom to have "box" pews. These pews were originally rented by the families and the income thus derived provided pay for the Rector. This eventually proved untenable, and the more sensible approach of Stewardship tithing became the norm in the 19th century. The building's interior is shades of white and light gray, plain and typical of New England church architecture. Throughout its history, except for a brief period in the Victorian era (see below), it remained so.
During the Revolution the building was not used as a church. The parish was, of course, Church of England. Many members, loyal to the crown, fled in 1775 and 1776 to Canada. It was opened briefly for a service at the request of Martha Washington on New Year's eve, 1775, attended by General Washington, his aides, and staff.
Although closed, the building remained intact until 1778. It was again briefly opened that June for the funeral and burial of a British officer (who was laid to rest in the crypt of the church in the tomb of Vassall family, prominent Tories in pre-Revolutionary Cambridge). So incensed was the citizenry at this kind of honor being paid to an enemy officer that during the interment an angry mob vandalized the building.
Once the war was over and a congregation could be formed from the remnants remaining, repairs were made to the interior and exterior of the building, but it wasn't until 1825 that major work was done.
The first major change in the interior of the church involved moving the pulpit inside the chancel rail, added carving to the capitals of the columns, and converting the box pews in the center aisle to slip pews.
Enlarging of the church took place 32 years later at which time the remaining box pews along the side walls were changed to slip pews as well.
The most dramatic change, however, took place in 1883. The Victorian period's affection for deep coloration and sentimental design led to a complete redecoration. A contemporary report describes it:
"The interior was striped horizontally with terra cotta, green, blue, all colors of the rainbow, it seemed to us: then there were little cherubs leaning on their crossed arms looking down on us from the vaulting, and between them were large cockle shells, but the crowning glory to some of us were the three medallions in the chancel on either side of the altar in each of which was painted the head of an angel with long flowing hair....."
In 1920 this most unfortunate decoration was reversed and the church returned to the simplicity of the earlier period.
We hope that you will visit our lovely parish if you travel to Cambridge and see all this for yourself!