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Free Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb facts for kids

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Free Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb
Free Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb.jpg
Country United Kingdom
Denomination United Reformed Church/Baptist

The Free Church is a special building located in Hampstead Garden Suburb, a lovely area in London. It was designed by a famous architect named Sir Edwin Lutyens. Building started in 1911.

This church is very important. It is a Grade I listed building. This means it is one of the most important historic buildings in England. It's like a national treasure! Another important church, St Jude's Church, is right across the square.

History of the Free Church

How the Church Started

In the early 1900s, Christians in Hampstead Garden Suburb used to meet together. But in 1909, they decided to organize their meetings separately. This led to the creation of the Church of England group and the Free Church group.

The Free Church held its first meeting in 1909. This was even before the church building existed! The church was officially started in 1910.

Building the Church

Work on the Free Church building began on January 16, 1911. It opened for people to worship on October 25 of the same year. However, the very front part of the church, called the West end, was not finished until the 1960s.

Sir Edwin Lutyens designed the church. He was the main architect for the whole Central Square of Hampstead Garden Suburb since 1906. He helped design both the Free Church and St Jude's Church.

Architecture and Design

Hampstead Garden Suburb Free Church Interior 2
A look inside the Free Church, showing the altar, organ, and the unique dome.

The Free Church has a unique, low concrete dome on its roof. This is different from St Jude's Church, which has a tall spire. Inside the Free Church, you will see special columns called Tuscan columns. These columns have brick bases.

The ceiling inside the church is shaped like a barrel, which is called a barrel vault. The walls are painted in soft, light colors. The church also has two special panels. These panels are memorials to remember people from the wars. They were designed by an artist named Percy Delf Smith.

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