Our History

Crossway Church has a long and rich history of serving the community with links to the Mayflower ship and the Pilgrim church.

Crossway, is the only church in Southwark that links back to the story of the non-conformists or separatists that journeyed from Leiden in Holland on the Mayflower to New Plymouth in 1620. The Pilgrim Church was incorporated into Crossway in 1972 and was destroyed during the blitz in 1940, only to raise from the ashes in 1956 with help and support of the descendants of the Mayflower in America.

There are letters from the then president of America, Eisenhower, in a letter dated 10th October 1956:

“Please give my greetings to the members and friends of The Pilgrim Fathers’ Memorial Church in London. As co-heirs of a great tradition, this congregation has a secure place in the hearts of all who cherish the spirit of religious liberty. Long ago, when the Mayflower carried early pilgrims from your church to our shore, they helped to establish one of the strongest bonds which unite, the peoples of our two Nations.”

(Original communion plate from the Southwark Pilgrim Church-circa 1690s)

About the Mayflower and Crossway

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620 it is no exaggeration to say that its voyage changed the course of history and it would ultimately lead to the establishment of the United States of America. The event of the Mayflower ship is not only a moment in world history, it is also our story. It is the story of Crossway and its links to the first Pilgrim Church here in Southwark.