St Ignatius Church, Stamford Hill Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Ignatius Church
Roman Catholic Church of St. Ignatius, Stamford Hill
Front of St. Ignatius Church
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OS grid reference	TQ3359588197
Location	Stamford Hill, London
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	www.stignatius.co.uk
History
Status	Active
Founded	1894 (1894)
Dedication	St. Ignatius of Loyola
Architecture
Functional status	Parish Church
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	10 May 1974
Architect(s)	Fr. Benedict Williamson
Style	Romanesque Revival
Groundbreaking	1894
Completed	1911
Administration
Deanery	Haringey
Archdiocese	Westminster
Province	Westminster

St Ignatius Church in Stamford Hill, London, is a big and important Roman Catholic church. It's a "parish church," which means it serves the local community. The church was started by a group of priests called the Society of Jesus (or Jesuits) in 1894. You can find it on the corner of Stamford Hill and St. Ann's Road, near Tottenham High Road. It's in the London Borough of Haringey, close to the border of the London Borough of Hackney.

History of St Ignatius Church
Community Life at the Church
Church Choirs
Gallery
See also

History of St Ignatius Church

How the Church Started

In 1892, a church leader named Cardinal Herbert Vaughan asked the Jesuits to create a new church. He also wanted them to build a primary school and a secondary school for boys. He made this request after almost 300 people asked for a new church in the Stamford Hill area.

The very first church service was held in a large house called Morecambe Lodge. This house was later taken down. The next year, Burleigh House, which was right next door, was bought. This house became a home for the Jesuits, including the priests, until a new home for them opened in 1928.

Building the Church

A small chapel was made from the stables and coach house of Morecambe Lodge. But soon, so many people came to church that a bigger, proper church was needed. The Jesuits decided to name the new church after the founder of their order, St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Because of money reasons, the church was built in two main parts. The first part, which included the main worship area, opened in 1903. The outside parts of the church were finished in 1911.

The architect, Benedict Williamson, later became a Catholic priest himself. He designed several other churches in the south-east of England. The inside of St Ignatius Church is famous for its beautiful mosaic glass pictures. These pictures show the birth of Christ and the Sacred Heart in bright colors. They also show the Stations of the Cross, which are images showing Jesus's journey to his crucifixion. These artworks were made in a style called opus sectile, which was popular during the Arts and Crafts movement when the church was built.

The inside decoration of the church was not fully finished until 1925. There is a special chapel at the back of the church called the Chapel of St Joseph. It is dedicated to the men from the church who died in the First World War. Their names are written on the front of the altar in this chapel. The main altar and the communion rails are still used in the church today.

The School's Story

The secondary school that Cardinal Herbert Vaughan wanted was opened on September 10, 1894. It was built right next to the church and was named St Ignatius' College. By the 1960s, the school needed more space for its growing number of students. So, in 1968, it moved to Enfield.

The secondary school left behind a primary school, which is also named after St Ignatius. The Jesuits stopped running the primary school in the 20th century. Now, the local council and the Archdiocese of Westminster help to manage and fund the school. However, as a Roman Catholic school, it still has a close connection with St Ignatius Church.

Community Life at the Church

St Ignatius Church is very active in helping its community. Many volunteer groups work from the church and its buildings. For example:

The church helps people who are homeless. They give out hot food to between 40 and 60 people every day.
It is a meeting place for many groups, like the Legion of Mary, Knights of St. John, AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), and Al Anon.
The church supports the Tottenham Refugee Alliance, which helps refugees.
The St Ignatius Housing Association is also supported by the church. This group helps to house some people who are homeless. They help those most in need, and many of these people turn to the church for support.
Groups focused on Ignatian spirituality, like the Christian Life Community, also meet here.

Church Choirs

The church has a very diverse community, with people from many different cultures. Because of this, the parish has seven different church choirs! These choirs show the variety of people who attend the church. The church building has great acoustics, which means it's perfect for singing. It also has a large 3-manual Compton organ. The choirs include: