The church of Saint Matthew originated in a mission to the South Fulham area which was established in 1884. A permanent church was constructed in 1895, on the corner of Rosebury Road and Wandsworth Bridge Road. This church was rebuilt in 1998.
History of the united parishes of Saint Peter Westcheap, Saint Matthew le Querne, Saint Matthew Friday Street, and Saint Vedast Foster Lane:
The church of Saint Peter Westcheap stood on the south west corner of Wood Street, on the north side of Cheapside. Built in the 12th century, it was rebuilt out of proceeds of the estate of John Sha in 1503. It was repaired in 1616-17, before being destroyed in the Great Fire. It was not rebuilt. The parish was united with Saint Matthew Friday Street in 1670.
The church of Saint Matthew Friday Street was repaired in 1632-33, and burnt in the Great Fire. It was rebuilt and enlarged by Wren, 1681-87. After restoration in 1861-62, it was taken down in 1881 and the parish united to Saint Vedast Foster Lane.
The church of Saint Michael le Querne stood at the western end of the City's great market. A corn market was sometimes held in the churchyard (which gave the parish its name). The church was repaired in 1617, burnt in 1666 and not rebuilt. The parish was subsequently united to Saint Vedast Foster Lane.
The church of Saint Vedast Foster Lane stood on the east side of Foster Lane. It was dedicated to the bishop and patron saint of Arras. The church was rebuilt in 1519, repaired and enlarged in 1614, and destroyed in the Great Fire. It was rebuilt in 1670-3. A steeple was added in 1697-8. It was restored after bomb damage in 1941 and fitted out with furniture from other churches.
Saint Matthew's began as a temporary chapel, founded in 1836 in a former Wesleyan Methodist chapel. A permanent church was constructed in 1850, designed by A.D. Gough. A parish was assigned in 1851. It was joined with the parish of Saint Stephen, Canonbury, in 1953. In 1966 the church was demolished.
From: 'Islington: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 88-99.
Saint Matthew's Church was consecrated on 15 July 1848 and a district assigned to it from the parishes of Saint Mark, Kennington, Saint Matthew, Brixton and Saint Giles, Camberwell. It took over the building of the Denmark Hill Chapel which was erected as a proprietary chapel in 1793 close to the village of Camberwell.
On the night of 26 September 1940 the church was destroyed by bombing. Marriages were solemnized in the parish church of Saint Giles, Camberwell, and services were held in King's College Hospital Chapel until June 1941 when a temporary church was set up in the house next door to St Matthew's, number 142 Denmark Hill. In November 1956 the parish was united with Saint Saviour, Herne Hill Road, Saint Saviour's becoming the parish church of the united parish. A new Saint Matthew's Church was built on a site in Lilford Road and was dedicated on 17 May 1961 as a chapel of ease to Saint Saviour's.
Following the bombing, the contents of the church safe were intact, but all other parish records in the church, including the non-current parish registers, were destroyed. For marriage entries before May 1938, the Superintendent Registrar of Lambeth holds a duplicate series of marriage registers. For baptism entries before April 1930, the only surviving record consists of the extracts from the parish registers printed in the parish magazine, copies of which are deposited here for the years 1893-1904, 1909-1914, 1916-1939, reference P85/MTW2/34-64.
The church of Saint Matthew on Oakley Crescent, off City Road, Islington, was founded circa 1848. The church was severely damaged by bombing in 1940. Marriages from 1941 to 1952 were solemnized at Saint Luke, Old Street. The last marriage register was closed in February 1953 on the union of the parish with Saint Barnabas, King Square and Saint Clement, City Road.
The parish of Saint Matthew was established in 1824, taken from part of the ancient parish of Saint Mary. The church was constructed in 1820 in a classical, Doric style.
From: 'Lambeth: The parish', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 50-64.
Bethnal Green was served by Saint Dunstan's in Stepney until 1743. A petition presented to the Commissioners of the Act for Building Fifty New Churches (1711) asked for Bethnal Green to be made a separate parish with its own church. The Commissioners agreed but various schemes fell through until 1743 when an Act was passed making Bethnal Green a separate rectory. The church was begun in 1743 and completed by 1746, designed by George Dance the Elder. Fire destroyed the interior in 1859 and the church was not reopened until 1861. The church was seriously damaged by bombing during World War Two, although it was rebuilt in 1957 according to the original designs. Saint Matthew's remained the only parish church until 1814, when the Episcopal Jew's Chapel opened, followed by several other churches intended to serve the needs of a rapidly expanding population.
'Bethnal Green: The Parish Church', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 11: Stepney, Bethnal Green (1998), pp. 212-217.
Bayswater Chapel was constructed in 1818, designed by T Cooper. It was renamed Saint Matthew's in 1858, and the building was altered in the same year. In 1881-82 a new, larger building was constructed that could seat 350 more people.
Until the mid 19th Century, Ashford, like Laleham, was a chapelry of Staines. Ashford Church was served by a curate appointed by the Vicar of Staines. In 1860 Asford became a perpetual curacy in the gift of the Lord Chancellor and in 1865 it bacame a vicarage. Ashford Church was at one time dedicated to St. Michael. In 1796 the church was pulled down and replaced by a brick built church on the same site. The present church of St Matthew's, designed by Butterfield, was built in 1857-59 immediately adjacent to the 1796 church which was demolished on the completion of the new church.
In 1872 the West London District Schools opened in Ashford. These were poor law schools which accommodated 800 children from Fulham, Hammersmith, Paddington and some of the Westminster parishes. The school was taken over by the London County Council in 1930 and was renamed Ashford Residential School. It closed in 1955.
The Victoria County History of Middlesex volume II (published in 1911) described late Victorian Ashford as being almost completely rural. 'Now ..... an entirely new town has arisen about the station to accommodate a population of the artisan class. To the east of the older part of the town is a group of private houses standing in their own gardens'. A new church, St. Hilda's was built in 1913 on the corner of Stanwell Road and Woodthorpe Road to serve the population living near the station. It was completed and consecrated in 1928, was assigned a conventional district and eventually in c. 1973 became a separate parish. The mission church of St Benedict in Napier Road provided for the rapidly growing district of Ashford Common to the south-east of the parish. St Hilda's is a daughter church of St Matthew, Ashford situated at the corner of Stanwell Road and Woodthorpe Road. A church hall was built on the site initially, followed by the first portion of the church in 1913. St Hilda's was completed and consecrated in 1928. It was licensed for marriages in 1939 and assigned a conventional district. It is now a separate parish.
St Benedict's mission church: A mission church had been established at Ashford Common by 1911 to serve the rapidly growing population. In 1930 a site was acquired for a permanent church in Napier Road. In 1936 a curate was placed in charge of the church. On 1 May 1940 St Benedict's ceased to be part of Ashford Parish and was handed over to the Vicar of St Saviour, Upper Sunbury.
See A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2: General; Ashford, East Bedfont with Hatton, Feltham, Hampton with Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton (1911).
The first parish church in the area was dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist and was probably built in the 12th century, situated near the site of the present Marble Arch. However it was too remote and was moved in 1400. The new church was dedicated to Saint Mary and was known as "Saint Mary at Bourne" as the Ty bourne (stream) flowed nearby, which over time became corrupted to "St Mary le Bone". A new church was built in 1740 and another in 1813, which was renovated in 1883.
In 1817 the church was built over a large vaulted crypt. This served as the parish burial ground until 1853 when the entrance was bricked up and its use discontinued. In 1980 the coffins from the crypt were reinterred at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey. The crypt was then completely renovated and rebuilt as a health centre. Nicki and John Braithwaite were the architects for this redevelopment. On 24th July 1987, the new crypt was opened by the Prince of Wales.
When opened, the crypt contained the following organisations: Christian Healing Centre; NHS Surgery; Headquarter Offices of the Christian Healing Organisations (Churches Council for Health and Healing; Guild of St Raphael; Order of St Luke; Institute of Religion and Medicine; Churches Council on Alcohol and Drugs); Music Therapy Centre (funded by the Speedwell Trust Sponsorship Scheme); Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner Unit; Counselling and Social Work Services of the Raphael Centre and Jewish Welfare Board.
For more information please see the church website at http://www.stmarylebone.org.uk/history01.htm (accessed March 2010).
The 11th century church of Saint Mary Woolchurch Haw stood on the site now occupied by Mansion House. Antiquarian John Stow noted that wool was weighed in the churchyard. The church escaped serious damage during the Great Fire of London, 1666, but it was demolished for building materials and the parish united to Saint Mary Woolnoth.
Saint Mary, Willesden was the parish church for the whole of Willesden until 1867 when the rapid growth of population in the area led to the creation of new parishes. In 1811 the population was 751, by 1901 this had expanded to 100,000. The parish of Willesden has existed for over 1000 years. In 937 King Athelstan defeated the Danes at the battle of Brunanburh, and as a thank offering gave the Royal Manors of Willesden-cum-Neasden to the Dean and Chapter of Saint Paul's Cathedral (subsequently many of the vicars of Willesden have also been Canons of Saint Paul's). A church was built, possibly replacing an earlier wooden one. The earliest part of the church as it stands today dates from the thirteenth century with fifteenth and sixteenth century additions. The two Victorian restorations added a north aisle and a new south porch. Two notable fittings are the Purbeck marble font, dating from 1150 and the fourteenth century inner door to the south porch. By the sixteenth century the parish was a focus for pilgrims attracted by the shrine containing the statue of Our Lady of Willesden, popularly known as the Black Virgin of Willesden, which was supposed to possess miraculous powers. At the time of the Reformation it was seen as idolatrous and was taken to Chelsea and burned in 1538. A modern Black Virgin by C. Stern was installed in the church in 1972. During the period of the Civil War in the mid-seventeenth century, puritanical influence was strong. The parish was dominated by the Parliamentarian Sir William Roberts, a friend of Oliver Cromwell and Lord of the Manor of Neasden. He conducted marriages at his house and took charge of the registers during the Interregnum.
This list also includes records of Willesden General Hospital (DRO/113/WGH).
The chapel of Saint Mary, so called circa 1300 and in 1535, stood west of the manor house and was one of the smallest churches in Middlesex, seating around 40 people. It was rebuilt circa 1712 by Frederick Herne and in 1800 was a plain gabled building of brick with round-headed windows, a western entrance, and a bellcot. Thomas Willan and his architect William Atkinson removed the road between the church and the manor house, covering both buildings with cement to give the appearance of stone, and embellishing them with Gothic details. To accommodate a growing population, a church hall was built in 1937 and used for worship until in 1958 a new church, incorporating the old one as a Lady Chapel, was built to the design of N. F. Cachemaille-Day.
From: 'West Twyford: Church', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), pp. 175-176.
The church of Saint Mary, West Kensington, is situated on corner of Hammersmith Road and Edith Road, W14. It was established as a chapel of ease in 1813 and became a separate parish church in 1835. The church suffered bomb damage during the Second World War but was rebuilt.
Teddington began as a chapelry of Staines, under the jurisdiction of the priest at Staines. It gained independence as a parish by the end of the Middle Ages, when patronage was transferred to the manor. The church of Saint Mary was a medieval construction, however, later repairs and rebuilding has meant that no part of the present building dates from before the 16th century. In 1889 the church was closed for services and Saint Albans became the parish church. Repairs were carried out and the church reopened for occasional use in 1898.
From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 76-79.
Sunbury on Thames parish covered 2,658 acres in 1930. It was bordered by the River Thames, the River Ash and a lesser stream. In 1908 the parish was enlarged to include Feltham Hill, Shepperton, Littleton and some of Hampton.
The Vestry of Sunbury was usually composed of between 6 and 12 people, responsible for poor relief and other parish business. 5 cottages were used as poor-houses in addition to a larger house used as a workhouse.
The church of Saint Mary stood on the south side of the village. Parts of the medieval church survive; the whole building was restored in 1863.
Source of information: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962).
The church of Saint Mary originated in a small chapel built to serve the hamlet of Summerstown. As the population of the area expanded it was decided to replace the chapel with a church, built between 1903 and 1920 to the designs of Godfrey Pinkerton.
Files P95/MRY2/120-129 are the records of Saint Mary Summerstown Slate Club (a club of people who save money in a common fund for a specific purpose or event such as Christmas), which is believed to be the oldest in the Borough of Wandsworth. It was founded in 1886, and closed in 1965, owing to decreasing membership.
Saint Mary's originated in a chapel built in 1311 because the residents of Stratford Bow were having difficulty reaching the parish church of Saint Dunstan's, Stepney (P93/DUN), due to poor roads. The chapel was expanded in 1490. At this date the church was part of Stepney parish but was formally separated in 1719. The church was damaged during the Second World War and later restored. The church is also known as Bow Church but should not be confused with Saint Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside (P69/MRY7).
The origins of the parish of Stoke Newington are uncertain. Although the manor of 'Neutone' is mentioned in Domesday Book as belonging to the canons of Saint Paul's, it is not known whether there was a church there at that time. The parish now has two churches, the older of which is the result of the rebuilding in 1563 of an earlier church of unknown date; it now serves as a chapel of ease, having been superseded with the consecration in 1858 of a new parish church, built to accommodate an expanding congregation.
The manor of Stoke Newington, including the glebe and the patronage of the rectory, was a prebend of Saint Paul's Cathedral in the gift of the Bishop of London. Until the mid-sixteenth century, the lordship of the manor was held directly by the prebendary; thereafter, it was held by laymen as lessees of the prebendary. Legislation early in the nineteenth century allowed the granting of building leases and sub-leases, and the enfranchisement of copyhold property. Subsequently, as a result of an act of 1840 (3 &4 Vict. cap.113), the interest in the prebendal manor became vested in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and the patronage of the rectory passed from the prebendary to the Bishop of London. At about this time, the Bishop also became ordinary of the parish, as the peculiar jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter of Saint Paul's over it came to an end.
The parish of Saint Mary, Stepney, was originally part of Christ Church, Watney Street (P93/CTC2). It was situated in a very poor slum area, known as Sun Tavern Fields or No Man's Land. The vicar of Christ Church, William Quickett had managed to get schools opened in 1849 and on the same day the foundation stone of a new church was laid by Lord Hadda. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester on May 22nd 1850. The dedication to Saint Mary was made at Lord Hadda's request as a tribute to his wife. The church was also known as Saint Mary, Johnson Street, Saint George in the East.
The parish of Saint Mary, Stamford Brook, was created from part of the parish of Saint Luke, Uxbridge Road, in 1888. The church was built in 1886. It was closed in 1982 on union with the parish of Saint Saviour, Cobbold Road. The church building was converted for residential use.
The parish of Staines, first specifically mentioned in 1179, was probably founded at least one hundred years earlier. Originally, it had jurisdiction over a large area including the dependent chapelries of Teddington, Ashford, Laleham and possibly Yeoveney, but by the thirteenth century Teddington had become virtually independent. However, although by the fifteenth century Laleham and Ashford had become regarded as separate parishes, with fixed boundaries and independent administrations, their benefices did not finally become detached from Staines until 1859. This explains the presence of items relating to Laleham among the records of St Mary, Staines. Before the Dissolution, the advowson lay with the Abbot and Convent of Westminster, and after that date, it was transferred to the Crown, whilst the right to tithes fell into lay hands. From 1725-1844 this right belonged to the Coussmaker family of Westwood, Surrey. The present church of St. Mary, Staines was built 1828-1829, but it incorporates the tower of the earlier church.
In 1670 or 1680 the Reverend George Wheeler in 1670 or 1680 when he inherited the Wheeler estates and constructed a chapel to serve the people of Norton Folgate and the growing areas of Spitalfields and Mile End. The chapel was known as Sir George Wheeler's Chapel. It stood within the parish of Christ Church, Spitalfields (P93/CTC1). In 1845 the chapel became a parish church and was renamed Saint Mary Spital, after a medieval hospital which used to stand in this area. The parish was reunited with Christ Church in 1911.
Saint Mary's is the ancient parish church of Rotherhithe. It is first mentioned in records in 1291. The advowson passed through various hands before being purchased by the Masters of Clare College, Cambridge. The medieval church building was reconstructed in 1714.
The first mention of a church at Putney is in 1292. Saint Mary's served the ancient parish of Putney, and was the only church in the parish until 1845, when a separate parish was created at Roehampton. The parish was a peculiar of the See of Canterbury until 1846 when it was transferred to the See of London. In 1877 it was transferred again, to the See of Rochester, before a final transfer to the Diocese of Southwark in 1905. In 1874 a second church was constructed in the parish, All Saints on Putney Common (P95/ALL3). The parish also included the church of Saint John the Evangelist (P95/JNE3).
The medieval church tower survives, as does some early arcading and a chapel. Much of the church was rebuilt in 1836. In 1973 an arson attack gutted the church. Rebuilding was completed in 1982.
For more information see: http://www.southwark.anglican.org/parishes/214p1.
The church of Saint Mary, Spring Grove, Osterley, was opened in 1856. It was funded by H D Davies, the builder of the Spring Grove estate. A parish was assigned to the church in 1856. In 1897 the advowson was granted to the Church Patronage Society who initiated an evangelical tone.
From: 'Heston and Isleworth: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 122-129. Available online.
Northolt church formed part of the endowment of the priory of Walden in Essex founded by Geoffrey de Mandeville about 1140. Walden exercised its rights until some time between 1241 and 1251 when the prior's claims were disputed by the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's Cathedral. It was agreed that a vicarage should be instituted and patronage vested in the Bishop of London and his successors. In 1864 patronage was transferred to Brasenose College, Oxford, which still holds the advowson. The church of Saint Mary dates in part from the early 14th century with early-16th-century additions. A south vestry was added in 1945. Rapid increases in population during the 1930s and extensive council development after 1945 led to the formation of three daughter churches between 1940 and 1960: the churches of Saint Joseph, Saint Hugh and Saint Richard.
From: 'Northolt: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 119-121. Available online.
Saint Mary's is the ancient parish church of Newington. The present church was constructed in 1958, replacing a building of 1876 which was badly damaged during the Second World War. Only the tower survives and was incorporated into the new church. The 1876 church was constructed to replace an earlier building, of 1721. From 1826 onwards other parishes were established out of the parish of Saint Mary, including Holy Trinity (P92/TRI), Saint John, Walworth (P92/JN), and Saint Matthew, Newington (P92/MTW). A chapel of ease, Saint Gabriel's, was established in 1874.
Newington Governors and Guardians of the Poor were established by Local Act of Parliament of 1814 which enabled them to assess and collect the poor rate and to build the workhouse and collect other rates in the parish (54 Geo III c.cxiii). They continued to collect the poor rate and to administer poor relief after the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. A Board of Guardians was established in 1836 (see P92/MRY/315) to carry out the registration functions of the Poor Law district, and to act as a workhouse committee. However it would seem that this eventually ceased to function and its activities were taken over by the Governors and Guardians at their weekly meetings. After the Metropolitan Poor Act of 1867, a Board of Guardians was again established and this took over the administration of the workhouse and poor relief in the parish. In 1869 it became part of St Saviour's Union (see records of Southwark Board of Guardians, SOBG). The Governors and Guardians continued to collect rates until their abolition in 1901 on the formation of the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark.
There has been a place of worship on the site for over a thousand years. The current church was built between 1774 and 1777 and was damaged by fire in 1830. The churchyard was closed for burials in 1856. By 1881 Lewisham had become a suburb of London and its population had increased significantly. It was therefore decided to enlarge and alter the building. Further changes were made in 1995.
The Board of Guardians for the parish of Saint Mary, Lewisham, administered poor relief under the Local Act 54 Geo. III c.43 (18 May 1814). The Board of Guardians was dissolved under the Local Government Act 1899.
The construction of Saint Mary's Church, Kilburn, began on 31 May 1856 with the laying of the foundation stone. The church was built by Messrs Holland of Duke Street, Bloomsbury, to the designs of Messrs Francis, architects. It was licensed to open for services on 7 April 1857, and was consecrated on 20 February 1862.
Saint Mary, Hoxton was created in 1866 out of parts of the parishes of Saint John, Hoxton and Holy Trinity, Hoxton, and Saint Barnabas, King's Square. The church was in Britannia Street (later Britannia Walk) and the vicarage was in Provost Street. In 1953 Saint Mary was united with Holy Trinity, Hoxton (the church had been bombed during the Second World War) to form Holy Trinity with Saint Mary.
In 1903 Saint Mary was in the Rural Deanery of Shoreditch, in the Archdeaconry of London, in the Diocese of London.
The Benefice of Saint Mary, Hornsey Rise was formed in 1861 and the District in 1865 from Saint Mark, Tollington Park. Parts were assigned to Saint Paul, Upper Holloway in 1870 and to Saint Stephen, Upper Holloway in 1881.
The Church of Saint Mary was built in Kentish rag in the Decorated style by A D Gough in 1860-61 on a site presented by a Mr Warlters.
In 1982 the parish was united with that of Saint Stephen, Elthorne Road to become Saint Mary Hornsey Rise with Saint Stephen. Saint Stephen's church was closed and demolished in 1983.
'Islington: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 88-99.
Hornsey parish is situated between Finchley and Friern Barnet, bordered by Tottenham, Stoke Newington, Clissold Park, Islington, Saint Pancras and Hampstead. The parish included two detached sections situated in Stoke Newington and another detached section near Colney Hatch (transferred to Friern Barnet in 1891). Within the parish, land at Muswell Hill belonged to the parish of Clerkenwell until it was transferred to Hornsey in 1901. The parish measured 2,978 acres in 1881, which was reduced to 2,875 acres in 1901.
Hornsey Vestry was first mentioned in 1688, while churchwardens were appointed from 1421 and at first carried out the functions of the overseers, who were active from 1612. Other parish officers included surveyors of the highways, an apothecary for the poor, master of the workhouse, beadle, engine-keeper, collector of rates and public health inspector. A workhouse was established in 1730, supervised by a Vestry committee.
The original parish church of Saint Mary was demolished in 1831 as it was too small and needed many repairs. The tower was retained and a new church built alongside it, finished in 1833. This church in turn became unsuitable and was closed in 1888, although it was not demolished until 1927. The tower was spared and the site was made into a garden. For the new church a different site was chosen, on the corner of Hornsey High Street and Church Lane, and the building was completed by 1889. The church contained space for 1,200 and was considered to be the finest 19th century church in Middlesex. Unfortunately the subsoil was unstable and cracks began to appear, forcing the demolition of the building in 1969. Church services were held in the church hall.
Source of information: 'Hornsey, including Highgate: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6: Friern Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey with Highgate (1980), pp. 101-182.
The church of Saint Mary is situated on Church End, Hendon. It appears that a church has existed on the site since the 9th century. The church has been rebuilt, enlarged and restored several times, including in the 13th, 15th, and early 16th centuries, with restorations in 1783, 1827 and 1915. The church includes the monument of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore; while Charles Johnson (1679-1748), dramatist; Sir Joseph Ayloffe, Bt. (1709-81), antiquary; Nathaniel Hone (1718-84), portrait painter; George Carter (1737-94), painter; and Benjamin Travers (1783-1858), eye surgeon, are buried in the churchyard.
Source of information: 'Hendon: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 33-37 (available online).
The Archbishop of Canterbury held the medieval manor of Hayes, and the church was considered to be part of the Archbishop's peculiar deanery of Croydon (and remained part of this deanery unil 1845). The Archbishop granted the advowson of the vicarage and the manor to the Crown in 1545. The church of Saint Mary dates in part to the 13th century, with additions from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. The churchyard was enlarged in the 1860s. Sir Gilbert Scott restored the church in 1873.
From: 'Hayes: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 33-36. Available online.
The parish of Hanwell ran alongside the eastern bank of the Brent river. The northern, western and southern borders of the parish were formed by the Brent and Thames rivers, while the eastern border was composed of fields and commons. The parish was 1209 acres in size, with a further 74 acres of detached land to the north-west which belonged to the parish as it was owned by Hanwell Manor. New Brentford was part of Hanwell parish until the eighteenth century, but had a separate chapel. The original parish of Saint Mary was reduced in size between 1908 and 1951, when several new parishes were created: Saint Mellitus, Saint Mark, Saint Thomas and Saint Christopher. The patronage of the parish rested with the Abbot of Westminster, and later the Bishop of London.
The Vestry were responsible for a number of local administrative functions, although they shared poor relief with a local charity. There was no parish workhouse, rather, some small houses were available at low or no rent.
The church of Saint Mary is first mentioned in the 12th century, although it is probably older. The medieval church was demolished in 1781 as it was too small; while its replacement was demolished in 1841 for the same reason. The church was reopened in 1842.
Source of information: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962) (available online).
The church of Saint Mary was founded in 1342 by the Priory of Takeley. The present church building dates to 1831, with extensions of 1888. The church has a long association with the Crown, which holds the Manor of Hampton.
Saint Mary, Haggerston, was constructed in 1827 to designs by John Nash. During the Second World War the church was destroyed, and from 1953 the parish was united with that of Saint Chad, Haggerston, and the registers are continued in those of Saint Chad. Later registers, to date, are in care of the incumbent of Saint Mary with Saint Chad, Haggerston. The site of the church became a playground.
The church at Finchley was first mentioned in 1274 although it was probably founded earlier. The benefice is a rectory in the patronage of the Bishop of London. The church was dedicated to Saint Mary from 1356. The oldest parts of the existing building date to the late 15th century, although the church building has several later extensions and additions. Saint Mary's has several daughter churches, founded from 1832 onwards.
From: 'Finchley: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6: Friern Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey with Highgate (1980), pp. 82-86. Available online.
The church of Saint Mary on Fore Street, Edmonton, was constructed in 1884. A parish had been assigned in 1883. The vicar of Edmonton, Robert S Gregory, gave £3,000 to the cost of construction. The church was demolished in 1957 and a small chapel opened in the vicarage. However, the vicarage was then demolished so a new building, Saint Mary's Church Centre, was constructed in 1970, containing a small church, meeting hall and accommodation for Sisters of the Community of St. Mary the Virgin.
From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 181-187.
The Bishop of London is recorded as being the patron of the church at Ealing in 1127, and he held the position thereafter. The church served the whole parish until 1828 when part was assigned to Saint George's, Old Brentford, and 1852, when a new parish was served for Christ the Saviour.
The church of Saint Mary stands on St Mary's Road and is the second building to occupy this site. The original medieval church was so ruined by 1675 that services had to be held elsewhere, and the steeple fell on the church in 1729, destroying the building. A new church was completed by 1740, and was later remodelled and extended in 1865. Further restorations took place in the 1950s.
From: 'Ealing and Brentford: Churches: Ealing', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), pp. 150-153. Available online.
The church of Saint Mary, Golden Lane, Charterhouse, Islington, was founded in 1858. A parish was assigned from the church of Saint Luke, Old Street. The parishes were merged in 1952.
Saint Mary's was constructed in 1821-1824, designed by Sir Robert Smirke. Alterations took place in 1975 under Sir Arthur Blomfield.
Saint Mary's originated as the Lady Chapel of the Benedictine convent of St Leonard, which had been established by the reign of King Stephen (1135-54). The convent was disbanded in 1541 but the chapel remained in use, becoming a parish church. The building was reconstructed during the nineteenth century but was subsequently damaged during the Second World War. The ruins were demolished to make way for the Blackwall Tunnel approach road. The parish was united with St Mary, Stratford Bow (P88/MRY1), in 1964.
The Grade 1 Listed church building of Saint Mary, Battersea dates from 1777. The successful preservation of an almost complete series of registers from Saint Mary's since 1559 reflects the long and ongoing history of this 'ancient' London parish. The manor of Battersea was under the ownership of Westminster Abbey from the eleventh century until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540. The manor church therefore enjoyed an unbroken succession of vicars during that period, as it has to the present day. The development of Battersea as a residential area during the eighteenth century was the impetus behind the building of the current church, to designs by Joseph Dixon. As the population of the area rose it became necessary to found several more churches, and the parish was divided into smaller districts. This began in 1853 with the church of Saint George, Nine Elms. J.M.W. Turner, William Curtis, Benedict Arnold and William Blake have all had associations with Saint Mary's, the latter being married there, to Catherine Butcher, in 1782.
Caius Mission Church and Settlement was a joint initiative between Saint Mary's and Caius College founded on the principles of 'social settlements'. This late nineteenth century movement, in which many of the old universities were involved, sought to bring about social reform through the educational and cultural enrichment of poorer urban area. Caius College Mission continues to operate as a community education initiative.
Saint Mary's originated in a proprietary chapel constructed between 1805 and 1808 on the initiative of several wealthy Balham residents, including William Wilberforce. In 1824 the building was extended; and in 1855 it was consecrated as a parish church and dedicated to Saint Mary. Further extensions were added in 1882 and 1903. The church was damaged by bombing during the Second World War and in 1976 after an IRA bomb went off in the area.
A church dedicated to St Mary is known to have been in existence by 1231 when Walter, Rector of Acton is recorded as holding property from Peter Fitz Alulf. The original building, excluding the tower, was demolished in 1865 because it could seat only 500 and was considered unworthy in style. It was replaced by a red brick church with stone dressings designed by H. Francis,and in 1876 the tower was also rebuilt. In 1906 the vestry was extended over part of the churchyard. The rapid increase in population after 1860 not only led to the rebuilding of St Mary's church but also to the creation of separate parishes for South Acton, 1873, East Acton, 1880 and Acton Green,1888, followed by the formation of the districts of West Acton, 1907, Acton Vale, 1915 and North Acton, 1930. In addition, a mission church, dedicated to St. Andrew, was set up in Salisbury Street.
Source of information: 'Acton: Churches', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), pp. 35-39. Available online.
The church of Saint Mary Woolnoth is first recorded in 1273. It is situated on the corner of Lombard Street and King William Street. It was rebuilt in 1442. It was repaired by Wren after the Great Fire of London, 1666, rebuilt by Hawksmoor, 1726-27, and restored in 1876. It is now a guild church. The parish was united with Saint Mary Woolchurch Haw after that church was demolished after the Great Fire.
The church of Saint Mary the Virgin originated as a mission started by Marlborough College, Wiltshire, in 1881. The church was consecrated in 1887, largely paid for by the College. In 1888 a consoldiated chapelry, taken from the parishes of All Hallows, Holy Trinity, and Saint Paul, was created. The Bishop of London was patron. The church building was designed by J. E. K. Cutts in the Early English style. The church ran mission halls in Mitchley Road, Stoneleigh South, Kemble Road and Lansdowne Road.
From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 348-355.
The parish of Stanwell was situated in the west of Middlesex. It is bordered by Staines, the River Colne, East Bedfont and Hounslow Heath. In 1930 the parish was 3,934 acres in size. The first endowment of a church in Stanwell was probably in 1204. By around 1250 the rectory of Stanwell had become a sinecure, and by 1254 there was a vicarage. In 1415 the advowson was given to Chertsey Abbey. This was surrendered to the Crown in 1537 and the advowson has remained the property of the Crown since then, although it was often leased out. The oldest parts of the church of Saint Mary date to the 13th century, while further additions date to the 14th century and restorations were carried out in 1863. The graveyard was mentioned in 1337 but was closed for burials in 1895. The church ran missions in Hithermoor Road and West Bedfont.
Source of information: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 33-49. Available online.