Church of the Annunciation, Marble Arch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Annunciation, Marble Arch |
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Church of the Annunciation, Marble Arch
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 Church of the Annunciation, Marble Arch
Location in City of Westminster
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| 51°30′52″N 0°9′31″W / 51.51444°N 0.15861°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ278810 |
| Location | Bryanston Street, Marble Arch, London, W1H 7AH |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Architect(s) | Sir Walter Tapper |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1911 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Marylebone Annunciation Bryanston Street |
| Deanery | Westminster Marylebone |
| Archdeaconry | Charing Cross |
| Diocese | London |
The Church of the Annunciation, Marble Arch is a Church of England parish church in the Marble Arch area of London, England. It is named after the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This beautiful church was designed by Sir Walter Tapper. It was built between 1912 and 1913. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is a very important historic building.
The church follows an Anglo-Catholic style of worship. This means it has traditions similar to the Catholic Church. It is also known for its wonderful choral singing. The church works closely with a local primary school, Hampden Gurney School.
Contents
History of the Church
The Church of the Annunciation is located near Bryanston Square and Montagu Square. This area is part of the Portman Estate in London. Henry William Portman developed this area in the 1700s. It is known for its neoclassical buildings.
From Quebec Chapel to Annunciation Church
Before the current church, there was a chapel called the Quebec Chapel. It was built in 1787. This chapel was built to remember the Battle of Quebec. People think it was built where the Portman Barracks once had a riding school. By the early 1900s, the old chapel was in bad shape. It was taken down in 1911 to make way for the new church.
One famous priest at the Quebec Chapel was Henry Alford. He was a theologian and wrote hymns. He is known for writing the hymn "Come, ye thankful people, come".
A Church with Strong Beliefs
The Annunciation Church has always been linked to the Anglo-Catholic movement. This movement began in the mid-1800s. In the early 1900s, many Anglo-Catholics did not agree with the growing Ecumenical movement. This movement aimed to bring different Christian churches closer together.
In May 1951, a big Christian event was held in Hyde Park. This was part of the Festival of Britain. Some Anglo-Catholic leaders and church members, led by Rev. Hugh Ross Williamson, protested this event. They held a meeting at the Annunciation Church. They did not like that Bishops of the Church of England were sharing a platform with other churches. These included Methodists and Baptists.
They felt these other churches did not follow the "traditional Faith of the Church." They worried that the Church of England's involvement might make it seem like only Roman Catholics truly defended the "full Catholic Faith." The famous poet John Betjeman supported this protest. Even though he found the protest's tone a bit strong, he stood by his fellow supporters. The novelist Rose Macaulay also commented on the protest. She was surprised by the opposition to the rally.
Architecture and Design
The current church was designed by Sir Walter Tapper. He was a student of George Frederick Bodley, a famous designer of Mediæval revival buildings. The church was built in 1912–1913. It is a tall church made of red brick. It is designed in the Late Gothic Revival style, also called Edwardian Gothic. It has stone decorations and buttresses. It also has a bell tower with a pointed roof. The single bell was made in 1913 by John Warner & Sons.
The famous architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described the church in his Buildings of England books. He called it "a fragment of a major medieval church," meaning it looks like a piece of a grand medieval church.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has a rood screen. This is a screen that separates the nave from the chancel. Above it, there is a tall triumphal crucifix. It is believed that Robert Bridgeman of Lichfield made this cross. Sir Walter Tapper designed it.
The high altar has a reredos, which is a decorated screen behind the altar. Tapper also designed this. Jack Bewsey made it. Bewsey also designed most of the church's beautiful stained glass windows.
Around the main part of the church, called the nave, are Stations of the Cross. These are plaster casts designed by Aloïs de Beule of Ghent. They show scenes from the journey of Jesus to his crucifixion.
A special stone screen, called a lapidarium, spans the arch between the main worship area (sanctuary) and the Lady Chapel. This screen was designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. It originally hung above the high altar of St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham.
The church organ was built in 1915 by Sir Frederick Rothwell. Its case was also designed by Tapper. The organ was repaired in 1989 by Bishop & Son organ builders.
