St George the Martyr, Southwark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George the Martyr |
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St George the Martyr looking south along Borough High Street
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 St George the Martyr
Location in Central London
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| 51°30′05″N 0°05′34″W / 51.501263°N 0.092671°W | |
| Location | The Borough, London Borough of Southwark |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Tradition | Anglican Catholic |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Architect(s) | John Price |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Southwark |
St George the Martyr is a historic church in the Borough area of south London. It stands on Borough High Street in the London Borough of Southwark. The church is named after Saint George, England's patron saint. It is a Grade II* listed building, meaning it is a very important historic place.
This church has strong links to the famous writer Charles Dickens. His father was once held in the nearby Marshalsea prison because he owed money. A wall from this old prison is still next to the churchyard. Dickens himself lived close by in Lant Street when he was a teenager. He worked in a factory during a difficult time in his life. Later, he used St George's Church as a setting for parts of his novel Little Dorrit. You can even see a small image of Little Dorrit in one of the church's windows.
The church is also connected to the City of London's Parish Clerks Company. It is the special "guild church" for the Guildable Manor. Since 2008, an important yearly ceremony called the Southwark Quit Rents ceremony has taken place here.
Discovering the Church's Past
Saint George was a soldier in the Roman Army. He was killed in 303 AD for refusing to stop being a Christian. Stories about Saint George became very popular after the Battle of Acre during the Crusades.
The first mention of St George the Martyr church in Southwark is from 1122. This means it was the first church in Greater London named after Saint George. This was more than 200 years before King Edward III made Saint George the patron of the Order of the Garter.
In 1415, King Henry V returned from his victory at the Battle of Agincourt. He was welcomed by London officials on the steps of this church. The famous 'Agincourt Song' was created for this celebration. In that battle, the flag with the red-on-white Saint George's Cross was used for the first time. That same year, St George became the patron saint of England.
The church's tall west tower stands out along Borough High Street. This is because the street curves right where the church is. Long ago, a much smaller road led from the church into Kent Street (now Tabard Street). This was the old route to Dover. In 1750, Great Dover Street was built to help with heavy traffic. Tabard Street was later extended through the churchyard. This made the church a central point, almost like it was on an island.
The building you see today is thought to be the third church on this spot. The first was a Norman church. Then came a church with a bell tower in the late 1300s. This church was shown in old drawings of London. It also appeared in William Hogarth's 1733 engraving of Southwark Fair.
The current church was rebuilt in a Classical style between 1734 and 1736. John Price designed it. Part of the money came from a fund to build new churches. Important City companies also helped pay for it. Their coats of arms decorate the church's ceiling and stained glass.
In 1852, William Cadman became the church's rector. At that time, St George's was one of London's largest parishes. Cadman worked hard to bring the church back to life. He encouraged volunteers to help in the community. He also started schools in poor areas where people could learn and study the Bible. During his time, a new chapel and the church of St Paul's, Walworth were built.
In 1899, the church's crypt (an underground room) was emptied. Over 1,400 coffins were moved to Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey.
The church's south wall was strengthened in 1938. This helped save the building during the Second World War. The church suffered a lot of damage from enemy bombs.
The church is built of red brick and Portland Stone. It has had problems with the ground sinking. In 2000, the main part of the church (the nave) was declared unsafe. However, services continued in other areas. In 2005, the church received money for repairs. This involved digging under the building to make it stronger. Many old lead coffins were moved from the crypt for this work. During the digging, old medieval and Roman structures were found.
The church was closed for restoration from September 2005 to March 2007. During this time, the church community met at nearby Guy's Chapel. The new "crypt" is now a church hall. Services at St George's started again on Palm Sunday, April 1, 2007.
Exploring the Church's Design
The church is made of red brick and Portland stone. It has a copper and slate roof. At the main entrance, there is a triangular pediment supported by Ionic columns. The space inside the pediment shows carvings of angels. Eight steps lead up to the entrance.
The tower is made of Portland stone and has a large spire. On top of the spire, there is a ball and a weather vane.
Inside, the main part of the church, called the nave, has a balcony on three sides. Two fluted Ionic columns support the balcony at the west end. The ceiling has a painting from 1897 by Basil Champneys. It shows angels appearing through clouds. The coats of arms of four important City companies are on a decorative strip. These include the Skinners, Grocers, Fishmongers, and Drapers.
The chancel, where the altar is, has three sections. There is a tall pulpit (where sermons are given) on four Ionic columns. There is also an eight-sided font made of grey marble.
The east window of the church was designed by Marion Grant. It includes a kneeling figure of Amy Dorrit, Charles Dickens' character.
Like some other churches in London, St George the Martyr has two carvings of the Royal Arms. Both are from the House of Stuart period. The main one is on the balcony at the west end. It is believed to have come from an older church called St Michael Wood Street.
See also
