St Pancras Church Lands Trust

The origins or this charity began before 1200 with the donation of land in Kentish Town by an unknown benefactor for the upkeep of Saint Pancras church. In the early 19th century it was decided that a new building was required, the cost of which could not be met by the regular income received from the Saint Pancras Church Lands charity. In 1816 an Act of Parliament was passed to re-constitute the Trust and enable the borrowing of £40,000 for the construction of a new church for the parish of Saint Pancras.

The Trust, under the expansionist policies of Dr Moore and Reverend Thomas Dale, later managed several chapels and district churches in the area as they were established, including Kentish Town Chapel (a chapel of ease dedicated to Saint Pancras since circa 1200); along with the three district churches created under the Act of 1816 - Saint Peter Regent Square, All Saints, Camden Town and Somers Chapel. These extensive activities were reduced by the Saint Pancras Ecclesiastical Regulations Act 1868 which transformed the district churches into independent parishes.

The Trust continued to provide financial assistance to those parishes within the ancient parish boundaries and is still in operation, assisting 16 churches.

It should be noted that the Trust is a charity in its own right and is independent of the Diocese of London.