All Hallows, Twickenham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Hallows Twickenham |
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All Hallows Twickenham, as seen from the A316.
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 All Hallows Twickenham
Location in Greater London
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| 51°27′15″N 0°20′02″W / 51.4541674°N 0.3338385°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ1575474169 |
| Location | Twickenham, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Catholic |
| Website | www.allhallowstwick.org.uk |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | All Hallows Lombard Street St Martin's Mission Twickenham |
| Dedication | All Hallows St Martin of Tours (former) |
| Consecrated | 9 November 1940 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 2 September 1952 |
| Architect(s) | Robert Atkinson Christopher Wren |
| Style | modern |
| Groundbreaking | 11 July 1939 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 35 m (114 ft 10 in) |
| Width | 17 m (55 ft 9 in) |
| Materials | brick, stone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | All Hallows Twickenham |
| Deanery | Hampton |
| Archdeaconry | Middlesex |
| Diocese | London (Kensington Area) |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Hallows Twickenham is a very old and important church in Twickenham, London. It's part of the Church of England. What makes it special is that it includes parts of another old church, All Hallows Lombard Street, which was moved here from the City of London! You can find it near Twickenham Stadium, right by the A316 road.
When the original All Hallows Lombard Street church in the City of London was taken down in 1937, many of its beautiful parts were carefully moved to Twickenham. This includes its stone tower, bells, a lovely stone walkway (called a cloister), and lots of the decorations and furniture from inside.
Contents
The Story of All Hallows Church
How the Church Began
The church started out as a smaller place called St Martin's Mission Church. It was like a small chapel and had been around since 1914. This first building was later taken down to make space for a beekeepers' group. This happened when the tower from the old Lombard Street church was given to the community.
St Martin's was originally a mission of St Mary the Virgin Church in Twickenham. In 1933, it got its own special priest, Harold Schofield. Thanks to his hard work, the church became its own parish, and he became its first vicar.
Building the New Church
The new parts of All Hallows Twickenham were designed by an architect named Robert Atkinson. He based his modern design on some plans that Christopher Wren had made for the original All Hallows Lombard Street, which were never fully built.
The first stone for the new church was laid on July 11, 1939, by the Bishop of London, Arthur Winnington-Ingram. The church was officially opened and blessed on November 9, 1940, by the next Bishop, Geoffrey Fisher.
A Special Consecration Day
When the church was blessed, there were special safety rules in place because of the ongoing World War II. People could even hear anti-aircraft guns firing in the distance! The Bishop said that churches were being destroyed by "agencies more unnatural and vile" than the Great Fire of London. He was talking about the bombings happening during the war, which were far worse than the fire that had damaged the original All Hallows Lombard Street church centuries ago.
What You'll Find Inside
The main part of the church is built from brick and has a basilica shape. A special entrance area, called a narthex, leads through the stone walkway (cloister) to the old tower on one side and to St Martin's Chapel on the other.
The Famous Tower and Bells
The tower, designed by Christopher Wren, holds ten bells. Some of these bells were first used in another church called St Dionis Backchurch before moving to Lombard Street. Inside the tower, you can see a huge oak gateway. This gateway was at the entrance of the old Lombard Street church after the Great Fire of London. It's decorated with carvings of skulls and crossbones!
Beautiful Woodwork and Art
Much of the church's carved wood looks like the work of Grinling Gibbons, a famous woodcarver from the 1600s. The large decorative screen behind the main altar, called a reredos, is a great example. It's thought to be similar to his work at St Mary Abchurch. The carvings on it are from the 17th century, and the paintings were added in 1870.
At the very center of the reredos, there's a carved, golden pelican feeding its young. This is a traditional symbol of Jesus Christ, showing how he gives himself to his followers in Holy Communion.
Altars, Pulpit, and Organ
The main altar in the church comes from the former St Martin's Mission. The altar from the original Lombard Street church is now in the Chapel. Behind the choir seats, you'll see two fancy iron stands that once held the ceremonial sword of the Lord Mayor of London.
The wooden, cup-shaped pulpit (where the preacher stands) with its large sounding board also came from Lombard Street. A very famous preacher, John Wesley, gave a sermon from this pulpit on December 28, 1789. It's even known as the place where he gave his first ex tempore (off-the-cuff) sermon! The church pews (benches) are from 1870.
The baptismal font near the west doors came from St Benet Gracechurch. Its marble base has carvings of cherubs, and its tall wooden cover is topped with a figure of Charity welcoming children.
The church also has a historic organ built by Renatus Harris in 1695. It's placed in the western gallery, just as Christopher Wren had planned for it, but it was never put there until it came to Twickenham.
Church Activities
All Hallows Twickenham holds services every Sunday:
- At 8:30 AM (using the Book of Common Prayer)
- At 10:00 AM for parish communion
- At 11:30 AM, especially for families with young children
Sometimes, there are also evening services on Sundays at 6:30 PM. Daily prayers are said in the morning and evening, and there's a communion service every Wednesday at 9:30 AM.
The church also has a hall, built in the 1960s, which is used by the local community. For example, Little Wrens Nursery School uses it.
Car Park
The church has a car park with many spaces. During Twickenham Rugby Stadium matches or events, people can park there for a fee. This money helps with the church's maintenance.
Charitable Status
The Parochial Church Council of All Hallows is officially registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. This means it's a non-profit organization that does good work for the community.
See Also
