Church of St Yeghiche, South Kensington facts for kids
The St Yeghiche Armenian Church (Armenian: Սուրբ Եղիշե եկեղեցի) is the biggest church for the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in Great Britain. You can find it in South Kensington, London, facing Cranley Gardens.
History of the Church
This church was first built in 1867. It was called St Peter's Anglican Church back then. A very successful builder named Charles James Freake had it built privately. His wife even lived in one of the houses nearby later on! It became the local Church of England parish church for Kensington.
A New Purpose
In December 1972, a special decision was made. St Peter's Church was no longer needed for Anglican services. The plan was to let the Armenian Orthodox Church use the building. So, Anglican services stopped in January 1973.
Restoration and New Beginnings
In 1998, someone generous bought the building. They paid for it to be fixed up and made new. Special changes were added to make it suitable for Armenian church services. There is another Armenian church in Kensington called St Sarkis, which has a traditional Armenian design.
Find Out More
- Pictures of the church on Flickr
- Details about the church's large organ
