St Benet Fink Church, Tottenham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Benet Fink
Parish Church of St Benet Fink
St Benet Fink Location in Greater London
51°35′51″N 0°05′28″W / 51.5973744°N 0.0910583°W / 51.5973744; -0.0910583
OS grid reference	TQ3290
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Traditional Catholic
Website	www.stbenetfink.org.uk
History
Status	Church
Founded	June 3, 1911 (1911-06-03) - but see note below
Dedication	Saint Benedict
Consecrated	1912-05-15
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Mini-Cathedral
Groundbreaking	1911-06-03
Specifications
Length	41 metres (135 ft)
Width	18 metres (59 ft)
Nave width	11 metres (36 ft)
Number of spires	One
Materials	Red brick walls, slate roof.
Administration
Parish	St. Benet Fink, Tottenham
Deanery	Haringey
Archdeaconry	Hampstead
Episcopal area	Edmonton
Diocese	London
Province	Canterbury

St Benet Fink is an Anglican church located in Tottenham, London. It is a special place of worship for many people in the area.

History of St Benet Fink

The First St Benet Fink Church

The very first St Benet Fink church was not in Tottenham. It was in a different part of London called Threadneedle Street in the City of London. People first wrote about this church in the year 1216. Before that, a church dedicated to Saint Benedict was rebuilt with money given by a person named Robert Finke.

How the Church Got Its Name

The name "Benet" is a shorter way of saying "Benedict." This comes from Saint Benedict, a very important figure in Christian history. If there was more than one church in an area named after the same saint, people would often add the name of the person who helped build or pay for it. That's why this church is called "Benet Fink" – because of Robert Finke!

Building the Modern Church (1900s)

In 1904, a special group started working in this area of Tottenham. They wanted to help the community. In 1905, they opened a temporary church made of tin in Granger Road. It was called St Luke's. They used this temporary building while they collected money to build a stronger, permanent church.

The church you see today was built between 1911 and 1912. It was officially opened on May 15, 1912. The Bishop of London was there and called it "the little Cathedral." When you step inside, you can see why! It feels bright and open, a bit like a large Cathedral.

The person who designed the church was an architect named J. S. Alder. Many people say St Benet's is his most complete and original church design. The tall, thin tower (called a spire) holds just one bell. This was a common design for churches built around that time. The church building is so important that it has a special status called "Grade II listed." This means it is protected because of its historical and architectural value. Look closely at the windows, and you might see symbols that represent different saints from early Christian times.

Church Design and Features

The church is built with red bricks and has a roof made of slate. It has a small spire that holds a single bell. This style of building was very popular in north London in the early 1900s. The church property also includes a house for the vicar (the priest) and a church hall, all built in a similar style.

Church Leaders Over Time

Here are some of the leaders who have served at St Benet Fink: