St Katherine Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Katherine Coleman |
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| Location | Church Row, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | James Horne |
| Style | Palladian |
| Years built | 1741 |
| Demolished | 1926 |
St Katherine Coleman was a historic church located in the City of London, England. It stood on the south side of Fenchurch Street, in an area called Aldgate Ward. This church was very old, dating back to medieval times. It was lucky to survive the terrible Great Fire of London in 1666. Later, it was rebuilt in the 1700s. The church finally closed its doors in November 1926 and was taken down shortly after.
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Why the Name "St Katherine Coleman"?
The church was named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a famous saint. The extra name "Coleman" came from a nearby garden called "Colemanhaw." For a while, the church was even known as "All Hallows Coleman-church."
A Long History
The First Church
We know this church existed by 1346 because a priest's name was recorded then. Around 1489, William White, who was the Lord Mayor at the time, helped rebuild or add to the church, specifically the south aisle.
Over the years, the church had many repairs. In 1620, some parts were fixed, and in 1624, a new balcony for people to sit in was built, along with a meeting room called a vestry. More repairs happened in 1703.
In 1708, a writer named Edward Hatton described the church. He said it was about 20 meters long, 11 meters wide, and 7 meters high. It had a tower made of brick and stone, which was about 18 meters tall and held three bells. Hatton mentioned that the church's design mixed older "Gothic" styles with "Tuscan" elements.
Building a New Church
The old St Katherine's church was taken down in 1734. A new one was built in 1741, paid for by the local community. The new design was by an architect named James Horne. It was built in a style called "vernacular Palladian," which means it was a simpler version of the grand Palladian style.
The church was made of brick, with stone around the windows and doors. Inside, it was quite simple. The ceiling was flat but curved at the edges, with just one oval decoration in the middle that looked like a flower. At the front, there was a curved space for the altar screen, called a reredos. Underneath the church, there was a burial vault, which was a room for graves.
What Happened Next?
In 1860, there was a plan to combine this church's parish with others. However, St Katherine's continued to be used until 1926. The very last service was held on November 20, 1926. Reports from the City Press said it was a happy event. After that, the church was quickly taken down.
Some parts of the church still remain today. The gate pillars and railings of the churchyard, which are from the 1700s, are still there. The area where the churchyard used to be is now a public garden. It belongs to a company called Lloyd's Register of shipping and was redesigned between 1996 and 2000.
After the graveyard was cleared, the remains of the people buried there were moved to the City of London Cemetery.
The money made from selling the church's land was used to build a new church in Hammersmith. This new church was first called St Catherine Coleman, but it is now known as St Katherine Westway. The beautiful marble font (a basin used for baptisms) from the old City church is now at St Peter's Church in Grange Park, Enfield.
