Bow Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bow Church |
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| St Mary's Church, Bow | |
Bow Church in 2008
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| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 17 November 1311 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Parish of St Mary and Holy Trinity, Stratford, Bow |
| Diocese | London |
| Division | Tower Hamlets |
Bow Church is a historic church in Bow, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Its full name is St Mary and Holy Trinity, Stratford, Bow. You can find it on Bow Road, which is a busy street.
This church has been standing in the same spot for about 700 years! During World War II, the church was bombed. After the war, its bell tower was rebuilt.
Contents
A Look at Bow Church's History
How the Church Began
The church started as a small "chapel of ease" on November 17, 1311. A "chapel of ease" was a smaller church built for people who lived far from the main parish church. Before this, people in Stratford-at-Bow had to travel to St Dunstan's, Stepney for church services.
This journey was often very hard, especially in winter when roads flooded. In the 1300s, the local people felt strong and rich enough to ask for their own place to worship. Even with their own chapel, they still had to visit St Dunstan's on special holidays. They also had to help pay for its upkeep.
In 1497, they made a new agreement. The people of Bow agreed to be part of the Stepney parish. They would pay a small amount each year for repairs to the main church. In return, they didn't have to go to St Dunstan's as often. They only had to visit on two specific days each year. On those days, they would join a procession to Saint Paul's Cathedral.
Important Events at the Church
In 1556, during the time of Mary I of England (also known as "Bloody Mary"), a sad event happened at Bow. Many people were brought from Newgate prison. They were put to death in front of Bow Church. This was part of the English Reformation, a big change in England's religion. Among those who died were the thirteen Stratford Martyrs.
In 1719, Bow Church became its own independent parish. This meant it was no longer tied to St Dunstan's. The area called Old Ford also became part of this new parish.
People and Gardens
In 1767, an important person named Colonel Philip Ludwell III was buried here. He was one of the first Americans known to follow the Orthodox Christian faith. Even though Bow Church was Anglican, he was buried using Orthodox traditions.
The last person was buried in the churchyard in 1854. Later, in 1894, the churchyard was turned into a public garden. This was done by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. A landscape gardener named Fanny Wilkinson designed the garden. She even got advice on which old gravestones to keep. The eastern part of the garden was designed later, in 1911. More recently, the Association has planted many spring flowers there.
The Church Building Today
The main part of the church building is believed to be from the 1300s. The tall tower was added in the 1400s. It is made of Kentish Ragstone (a type of stone) with some brick parts. Many of its windows have a special "perpendicular style" design.
Inside the church, you can see old monuments. These include memorials to Grace Amcottes (who died in 1551) and Alice Coborn (who died in 1689). The south side of the church was rebuilt in 1794. In 1896, the roof over the altar area fell down. This led to a big repair project.
During the London Blitz in World War II, the church was badly damaged by bombs. In 1951, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) visited the site. Her visit helped start a campaign to raise money to fix the church. The repairs were finished, and the iron fences around the churchyard were put back in 1984.
Bow Church is a "Grade II* listed building." This means it's a very important historic building. It got this special protection on July 19, 1950.
Nearby Landmarks
The church gives its name to the nearby Bow Church DLR station. Just outside the churchyard, there is a statue of William Ewart Gladstone. He was a famous Prime Minister of the Liberal Party. The statue was paid for by Theodore H Bryant, a rich matchstick maker, in 1882.
The church is also featured on the crest of the local Bow masonic lodge. This group was started by the church's rector, Francis Mettrick, in 1961.
Today, Bow Church is still an active church. In 2011, the church celebrated 700 years of Christian life on its site.
Rectors of Bow Church
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Bow became an independent parish in 1719. For about 100 years, from the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s, the rectors of Bow Church were all from Brasenose College, Oxford.
Here is a list of some of the rectors:
- 1719–1740 Robert Warren
- 1740 James Parker
- 1740–1770 Thomas Foxley
- 1771–1801 Allan Harrison Eccles
- 1802–1807 Samuel Henshall
- 1808–1809 Frodsham Hodson (who later became a leader at Brasenose College)
- 1809–1843 Hamlett Harrison
- 1844–1880 George Townshend Driffield
- 1880–1892 William Pimblett Insley
- 1892–1898 Marmaduke Hare (who later became a Dean in Iowa, USA)
- 1899 Manley Power
- 1932–1951 George Ansell
- 1961 Francis Mettrick
- 1989–2011 Michael Peet
- 2012–2018 Debbie Frazer
- 2019– Timothy G. May
