St Leonard's, Shoreditch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Leonard's, Shoreditch |
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18th-century print of St Leonard's
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| Location | London Borough of Hackney |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Dance the Elder |
| Style | Palladian |
| Years built | 1740 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Leonard's, Shoreditch, often called Shoreditch Church, is a very old parish church in Shoreditch. It stands where Shoreditch High Street meets Hackney Road in East London. The church building you see today was built around 1740. It is a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. You might know it from the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons, which says: "When I grow rich", say the bells of Shoreditch."
Many actors from the Tudor period are buried in the crypt (an underground room) beneath the church.
Contents
A Church with History
The first church here might have been built by the Anglo-Saxons, a group of people who lived in England a very long time ago. We know for sure that a church was here in the 12th century.
This church was close to two of England's first special theatres: The Theatre (built in 1576) and the Curtain Theatre (built in 1577). Because of this, many famous actors from the time of Queen Elizabeth I are buried here. These include:
- James Burbage, who started The Theatre.
- His son, Richard Burbage, who was a main actor in many of Shakespeare's plays. These plays were first performed in the Shoreditch theatres.
- The comedian Richard Tarlton.
- The actor Gabriel Spenser, who was killed in a fight by the famous writer Ben Jonson.
Inside the church, there is a large memorial put up in 1913. It remembers these actors and shows how important Shoreditch was to Shakespeare's time.
The Current Building
The old medieval church had problems, and part of its tower fell down in 1716. So, a new church was built between 1736 and 1740. The architect was George Dance the Elder. He designed it in the Palladian style, which was popular at the time. This style uses ideas from ancient Roman and Greek buildings.
The church has a very tall steeple, which is 192 feet high. It looks a bit like the steeple of St Mary-le-Bow church. The front of the church has a large portico with four big columns. Inside, there are also huge columns. Many original parts from the 1700s are still there. These include the font (for baptisms), the pulpit (where sermons are given), the communion table, and the clock. In 1817, it was the first church in London to be lit by gaslight.
You can also see the old parish stocks (used to punish people) and a whipping post in the church porch. The old Shoreditch parish pump is in the churchyard.
Church Bells
The church has had bells for many centuries, which is why it's in the Oranges and Lemons rhyme. The current set of 12 bells was made in 1994. They are used for change ringing, a special way of ringing bells in a pattern.
The bells of St Leonard's are so important that they are shown on the coat of arms of the London Borough of Hackney.
Organs in the Church
The church has two organs. One is a very old tracker organ built in 1756 by Richard Bridge. It still has its original wooden pipes and is one of the few like it that still exist. It needs some repair work.
The church also has a modern electric organ. This organ is used often for church services, concerts, and even for recording music. It was used in the album The Moths Are Real by Serafina Steer.
On TV and Film
St Leonard's Church has been used in TV shows.
- From 2010 to 2014, it was the main church in the BBC comedy series Rev.. In the show, it was called St Saviour in the Marshes.
- In 2011, the church appeared in the second series of the crime show Luther.
Famous People Connected to the Church
Several interesting people have connections to St Leonard's Church.
- James Parkinson (1755–1824), who gave his name to Parkinson's disease, lived nearby. There is a stone tablet inside the church to remember him. His grave is in the churchyard.
- Thomas Fairchild (1667–1724) was a famous gardener and writer. He set up a special sermon (a talk given in church) to be given every year at the church. It was about "The Wonderful World of God in the Creation" or "On the Certainty of the Resurrection of the Dead". These talks became known as "The Vegetable Sermon" and continued until the 1990s.
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See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Shoreditch para niños
