All Souls Church, Langham Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Souls Church |
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All Souls Church in 2009
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| Location | Regent Street, Marylebone, Greater London |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Conservative evangelical |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1824 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Architect(s) | John Nash |
| Style | Neoclassical, Regency |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
All Souls Church is a Christian church in Marylebone, London, known for its lively community. It's located at the top of Regent Street and was designed by a famous architect named John Nash. The church was officially opened in 1824.
Because it's right across from Broadcasting House, the BBC often uses the church for broadcasts. All Souls Church welcomes many visitors, with about 2,500 people attending services every Sunday. It has a diverse group of worshippers from all over the world and of all ages.
Contents
The Church's History
All Souls Church was designed by John Nash, who was a favorite architect of King George IV. Nash planned the church's unique round tower to be a landmark. It stands where Regent Street makes a sharp turn, connecting Piccadilly to the new Regent's Park.
The church was one of the "Commissioners' churches." This means it received money from a special government fund set up in 1818 to help build new churches. All Souls Church cost about £18,323 to build. It was completed in December 1823 and officially opened on November 25, 1824, by the Bishop of London. All Souls is the last church designed by John Nash that is still standing.
Building Design
The church is built from Bath stone, a type of limestone. It has a striking round entrance hall with a tall, pointed spire. This entrance is connected to the main part of the church. The spire itself is quite unusual, with seventeen curved sides and columns around it.
Not everyone loved Nash's design when it was new. One reviewer in 1828 thought the main part of the church looked more like a factory than a church. They felt its size and decoration were too plain.
Royal Connections
The leader of All Souls Church, called the Rector, is still chosen by the British government at 10 Downing Street. This connection goes back to King George IV's time, when the Crown owned the land around the church. You can even see the Coat of Arms (the royal symbol) inside the church on the West Gallery.
Changes Over Time
Repairs After World War II
During the Blitz in World War II, on December 8, 1940, a bomb exploded near the church. It damaged the ceiling, but most of the building and its furniture survived. The church was closed for about ten years for repairs. During this time, the church community met at another nearby church. The building was restored by architect Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel.
Updates in the 1970s
Even after being restored in 1951, the church was changed a lot again in 1975–1976. A large basement was dug out under the church to create a church hall and other rooms. This meant the main floor of the church had to be raised, which changed how the inside looked. The old gallery fronts were replaced, and the west gallery was made larger. These changes helped make the church more suitable for the style of worship popular at the time. Today, the main part of the church has carpet and movable chairs, allowing the space to be used in different ways.
Music and Organ
All Souls Church is famous for its music. It has a special Hunter organ located in the west gallery. The organ was originally placed in a case designed by John Nash. Over the years, the organ has been taken apart, stored, rebuilt, and updated several times. The latest major rebuild happened in 1975–1976.
The church's music combines modern and traditional styles. They use a worship band, orchestra, singing group, or choir at their Sunday services. The All Souls Orchestra was started in 1972. They have performed with famous Christian artists and hold a big annual concert called "Prom Praise" at the Royal Albert Hall. They also have "Prom Praise for Schools," which lets children from across London sing with the orchestra.
Services Today
All Souls Church holds four services every Sunday. There's an early morning service at 8:00 am, followed by two more at 9:30 am and 11:30 am, and an evening service at 5:30 pm. They also have a service on Thursdays during school terms at 1:05 pm.
Sermons from the Sunday services are recorded and can be listened to or downloaded for free online. The church has an archive of over 3,000 sermons.
Church Leaders
The current Rector of All Souls Church is the Reverend Charlie Skrine, who started his role on April 28, 2021.
One of the most well-known leaders of All Souls was John Stott. He was connected to the church for almost his entire life. John Stott wrote more than fifty Christian books and was a very important leader in the evangelical movement during the 20th century. He served as a curate (a junior priest) from 1945 to 1950 and then as Rector from 1950 to 1975. After that, he became Rector Emeritus until he passed away in 2011. Many people remember him as someone who greatly influenced Christian faith in his time.
Other notable former Rectors include Richard Bewes, who served from 1983 to 2004, and Hugh Palmer, who was Rector from 2005 to 2020. Hugh Palmer also served as a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II.
Another important former clergy member is Rico Tice, who created the "Christianity Explored" course. This course helps people learn about Christian beliefs using the Gospel of Mark.
Past Rectors
- George Chandler, 1825–1847
- Charles Baring, 1847–1855
- William Thomson, 1855–1861
- Edward Revell Eardley-Wilmot, 1861–1872
- John Minet Freshfield, 1873–1878
- Sholto D. C. Douglas, 1878–1886
- William Hay Chapman, 1886–1893
- Johnston Hamilton Acheson, 1893–1898
- Francis Scott Webster, 1898–1920
- Arthur Buxton, 1920–1936
- Harold Earnshaw Smith, 1936–1950
- John Stott, 1950–1975
- Michael Baughen, 1975–1982
- Richard Bewes, 1983–2004
- Hugh Palmer, 2005–2020
- Charlie Skrine, 2021–
See also
