St Luke's Church, Charlton facts for kids
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St Luke's Church is a historic church located in Charlton, London, England. It is an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. The church is part of the Diocese of Southwark.
People believe that a church dedicated to St Luke has stood on this spot since about 1077. The current building was mostly rebuilt in 1630. This rebuilding was paid for by Sir Adam Newton, who lived at Charlton House. Sir Adam Newton was a very important person; he used to be the teacher for the Prince of Wales.
The church built in the 1630s was made from red bricks found in Kent. This old brickwork is still the main part of the church you see today. It has been changed a few times over the years, in the 1600s, again in 1840, and finally in 1956. Workers have even found pieces of old chalk and flint walls. These might be from the very first church building.
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For a long time, St Luke's Church was connected to Bermondsey Abbey. This changed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when many monasteries were closed down. After that, in 1607, the land where the church stands went to Sir Adam Newton. Today, the church follows a style of worship called the Modern Catholic tradition.
Some important people have been married at St Luke's. For example, Anne Shovell, who was the granddaughter of Sir Cloudesley Shovell, married John Blackwood here on July 28, 1726.
Important People Buried Here
Many interesting people are buried at St Luke's Church. Two of them were very important in British politics and died in unusual ways. One was Spencer Perceval, who was a British Prime Minister. The other was Edward Drummond, who worked as a personal secretary for several Prime Ministers. His death led to a famous legal rule about mental health called the M'Naghten rules.
Sir Adam Newton, who helped rebuild the church, is also buried here with his wife, Katharine. Several other people who worked for the royal family are buried at St Luke's:
- Edward Wilkinson (died 1567), who was the master-cook for Queen Elizabeth I.
- Brigadier Michael Richards (died 1721), who was in charge of military supplies for King George I.
- John Griffith (died 1713), a brigadier in the Guards under Queen Anne.
Flying the White Ensign
St Luke's Church has a special right: it can fly a flag called the White Ensign. This is the flag that British naval ships used to fly before the Acts of Union in 1800. The church is allowed to fly this flag on the special saint's days of St Luke and St George. This is because the church used to be an important landmark for ships sailing on the Thames river. Sailors would use it to help them find their way.
