Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More, Chelsea facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More
View from corner of Upper Cheyne Row and Cheyne Row
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OS grid reference	TQ2717177759
Location	Chelsea, London
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	HolyRedeemerChelsea.co.uk
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Christ the Redeemer Thomas More
Consecrated	21 June 1905
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	7 November 1984
Architect(s)	Edward Goldie
Style	Renaissance Revival
Groundbreaking	7 June 1894
Completed	23 October 1895
Administration
Deanery	Kensington and Chelsea
Archdiocese	Westminster
Province	Westminster

The Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More, often called Holy Redeemer Church, is a Roman Catholic church in Chelsea, London. It's a special place where people gather for worship. This church was built a long time ago, in the 1800s, and first opened its doors on 23 October 1895. A talented architect named Edward Goldie designed it.

You can find the church on the corner of Upper Cheyne Row and Cheyne Row. It's right next to Carlyle's House in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The church is considered a very important building. It is listed as Grade II on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a historic building that needs to be protected.

History of the Church

Building the Church

In the early 1890s, a leader of the Catholic Church named Herbert Vaughan asked a priest, Canon Cornelius James Keens, to start a new church in Chelsea. This church was meant to serve the local Catholic community. In 1886, a piece of land was bought for this purpose.

Later, in 1892, Canon Keens received permission to build the church in a different spot. This new location was on Cheyne Row, where a pottery used to be. The first stone of the church was laid on 7 June 1894. The Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer then officially opened on 23 October 1895. It was made a special holy place on 21 June 1905 by Cardinal Francis Bourne.

Changing the Name

The church's name was changed in 1935. This happened after Thomas More was made a saint. When someone is "canonised," it means they are officially recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. After this, the church became known as the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer and St Thomas More.

Repairs and Updates

During the Second World War, in September 1940, the church was damaged by a bomb. Sadly, many people were hurt. The west wall of the church and its organ were destroyed. After the war ended, the church was carefully repaired.

More restoration work happened in 1962. Then, from 1970 to 1972, the church was updated inside. The floor near the altar was redone. This allowed the altar to be moved closer to the people attending services. A special marble stand called an "ambo" was also put in. In 1980, a new font, used for baptisms, was added to match the ambo. The beautiful pictures showing the Stations of the Cross were created by an Irish artist named Ken Thompson. They were put in place for the Millennium celebration.

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  Cheyne Row

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  Sanctuary

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  Stations of the Cross

Weddings at the Church

Many people have chosen to get married at Holy Redeemer Church over the years. Here are a few notable weddings:

• Sean and Eileen O'Casey on 23 September 1927
• David Bruce Huxley and Anna Remsen Schenk on 27 June 1939
• Anna del Conte and Oliver Waley on 5 October 1950
• Bernard and Gillian Cribbins on 27 August 1955
• Hugh James Arbuthnott to Vanessa Dyer in 1964

Church Services

The church holds several Masses every week. On Saturdays, there is one Mass in the evening. On Sundays, there are five Masses throughout the day. Weekday Masses are held every morning from Monday to Friday.

Exterior Views

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  Church entrance

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  Church sign

See also

• Allen Hall Seminary
• Redemptoris Mater House of Formation