Church of St Mary Magdalene, North Ockendon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalene
St Mary Magdalene Church, North Ockendon
Denomination	Church of England (Anglican)
Website	https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/6499/
Administration
Parish	The Parish of North Ockendon
Deanery	Havering
Archdeaconry	Barking
Diocese	Chelmsford
Province	Canterbury

The church of St Mary Magdalene is an old and important Church of England building. You can find it in North Ockendon, which is part of Greater London, England. This church is a very special place, listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered one of the most important historic buildings in England. It is named after Mary Magdalene, a close friend of Jesus.

Discovering St Mary Magdalene Church

A Look Back in Time

Most of the church building you see today was built in the 1300s. It stands on the same spot where an even older church once stood. The tall tower was added later, in the 1400s. This tower was once used by a Reverend named William Derham. He used it to make the first accurate measurement of the speed of sound. That's pretty cool, right?

The church was repaired and updated a lot in 1858. A wealthy local landowner, Richard Benyon of Cranham Hall, paid for all the work. More recently, a new part was added to the north side of the church in 2003.

Inside the Church

When you step inside, you'll see the pulpit, which is where the sermon is given. It looks like it's from the time of Queen Elizabeth I, but it's probably from the 1600s. The baptismal font, used for baptisms, and the royal arms (a special symbol of the king or queen) were both made in 1842. They are made from a special material called Coade stone.

Behind the altar, there's a beautiful carving called a reredos. It shows a scene of the Last Supper and was made in 1879. Many of the memorials inside the church are for members of the local Poyntz family. You can also find special brass plaques, like one for a former vicar, Edward Foley Evans, who passed away in 1933.

The Poyntz Family Monument

The most impressive monument is a large stone statue of Sir Gabriel Poyntz (1538–1608) and his wife, Etheldreda. They are shown lying on a marble tomb. Above them is a wooden canopy, decorated with pictures of the sun, moon, clouds, and stars. It looks like a little sky! Gabriel Poyntz also placed smaller memorials around the church to remember his family. These include his father Thomas Poyntz, and his aunt and uncle, John and Anne Poyntz.

Church Services and Music

North Ockendon Church is special because it still uses traditional Prayer Book services. These are alongside more modern services and a sung Eucharist, which is a type of communion service.

The church has a choir that sings at the weekly services and other events. They often sing older songs from the Victorian era. The church also has an organ, which is a large musical instrument. It's a Brindley & Foster organ with two keyboards.

The Church Bells

The church tower has a set of 6 bells that can be rung for change ringing. This is a special way of ringing bells in a changing pattern. The bells play a descending scale in the key of G major. The heaviest bell, called the Tenor, weighs about 9½ hundredweight (which is about 480 kg or 1060 pounds). The bells are rung from the ground floor. What's unusual is that they are hung in an anticlockwise direction!

The Churchyard

The churchyard is the area around the church. It contains war graves for three British soldiers who died in World War I. There is also an old well in the churchyard. People say this well is connected to Saint Cedd, an important early English saint.

Images for kids

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  One of the World War I graves in the churchyard