All Saints Cathedral, Camden Street facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints, Camden Town |
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| Greek Orthodox Cathedral Church of All Saints | |
All Saints' Cathedral
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| Location | London, NW1 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Greek Orthodox |
| Previous denomination | Church of England |
| Website | allsaintsgreekchurch.com |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | William and Henry Inwood |
| Years built | 1822–1824 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Thyateira and Great Britain |
All Saints Cathedral is a famous church in Camden Town, London, England. It was first built for the Church of England. Now, it is a Greek Orthodox church. It is officially called the Greek Orthodox Cathedral Church of All Saints. You can find it where Camden Street and Pratt Street meet.
The Church's Early Days
Camden Town started to grow around the 1790s. Back then, it was mostly countryside. It was part of a large area called St Pancras. The old church for St Pancras was very old. But it was far from the new homes in Camden Town.
In 1822, a new main church was opened. This was St Pancras New Church on Euston Road. However, it was mainly for people living nearby. So, a law was passed in 1818. This law helped build new churches in growing parts of London. One of these new churches was for Camden Town.
Building the Church
The church was built between 1822 and 1824. At first, it was called the Camden Chapel. Later, people unofficially called it St Stephen's. It finally got the name All Saints in 1920.
Two architects, William and Henry Inwood, designed the church. They were a father and son team. They also designed the St Pancras New Church. The building is quite large. It is made of yellow brick. The front and back parts use Portland stone.
The church has a rectangular shape. It has a round part at the back. At the front, there is a semi-circular entrance. Behind this entrance, there is a round stone tower. This tower has columns around it. It looks like an ancient Greek monument. The columns are based on Greek designs. These designs were brought to England by Henry Inwood.
Inside, the ceiling is flat. There are balconies on three sides. These balconies are held up by columns. Many people have praised the church's design. But some think the tower looks too thin. This church is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historic building.
From Anglican to Greek Orthodox
In 1852, All Saints became its own parish church. In the 1800s, many people went to church. In 1854, a survey showed that 1,650 people attended on Sunday mornings. In the 1900s, fewer people went.
In 1948, All Saints became a Greek Orthodox church. It kept its name, All Saints. Another church, St Michael's, became the main Anglican church in Camden Town. After World War II, many Greek-speaking people moved to the area. Most of them came from Cyprus. The church is still very active today. Many worshippers now travel from other parts of London. In 1991, All Saints became a cathedral.
The church has been repaired and updated many times. The most recent work started in 2009. It was overseen by English Heritage. Money for the repairs came from the National Lottery. Donations from the Greek Orthodox community also helped.
