St Magnus the Martyr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Magnus the Martyr |
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| Parish and Pilgrimage Church of St Magnus the Martyr | |
St Magnus the Martyr
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| Location | London, EC3 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Catholic Church |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Catholic |
| Website | stmagnusmartyr.org.uk |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Architect(s) | Christopher Wren |
| Style | Baroque |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge, is a historic Church of England church in the City of London. It stands on Lower Thames Street, very close to The Monument. This church is part of the Diocese of London. It is also a Grade I listed building, meaning it is very important and protected.
The church's leader is called the "Cardinal Rector." This is a special title. Since 2016, the rector of St Magnus is the only Church of England priest to use this unique name.
St Magnus is located where the old London Bridge used to connect the City to Southwark. Over time, its parish joined with other nearby church areas. It is also the special church for two old London guilds: the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers and the Worshipful Company of Plumbers. It is also connected to the Church of the Resurrection in New York City.
Many famous writers have mentioned St Magnus. Charles Dickens wrote about its spire in his book Oliver Twist. He described it as a "giant-warder" of the old bridge. The poet T. S. Eliot loved the church's beauty. He wrote about its "Inexplicable splendour of Ionian white and gold." Eliot even said it was one of the best church interiors designed by Christopher Wren.
Contents
- Who is St Magnus?
- Church History
- Early Beginnings: 11th and 12th Centuries
- London Bridge and St Thomas Becket: 13th and 14th Centuries
- Changes During the Reformation: 15th and 16th Centuries
- Fire and Rebuilding: 17th Century
- The End of Old London Bridge
- 20th Century and Beyond
- Between the Wars: Anglo-Catholic Tradition
- World War II to Today
- Inside the Church
- Bells
- Connections to Livery Companies and Bridge Ward
- See also
Who is St Magnus?
The church is named after Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney. He died on April 16, around the year 1116. Magnus was killed on the island of Egilsay during a power struggle. He was known for being very religious and gentle. He became a saint in 1135.
His nephew, St Ronald, started building St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall in 1137. The story of St Magnus has even been made into an opera.
For a long time, people weren't sure which St Magnus the church was named after. Some thought it was a Roman saint. But in the 1800s, a Danish archaeologist suggested it was St Magnus of Orkney. The discovery of St Magnus of Orkney's relics in 1919 made this idea more popular.
In 1926, the Bishop of London officially confirmed the church was dedicated to St Magnus of Orkney. They even held a special service on April 16, 1926, to celebrate.
However, the church was built before St Magnus of Orkney became a saint. It might have been named after an earlier St Magnus. This could have been St Magnus of Anagni, a bishop who died a martyr in the 3rd century. His feast day was August 19. This day was celebrated in England for many centuries.
Church History
Early Beginnings: 11th and 12th Centuries
The area where St Magnus stands was empty for a long time after the Roman period. Around the 10th century, London started growing again. A wooden bridge was built across the River Thames in the early 11th century. This helped the area near the bridge become busy with traders.
St Magnus was built south of Thames Street. It served the people living and working near the bridge in the 11th century. The church's small parish stretched along the river. It was a very active area with wharves and fishmonger shops.
Some old documents suggest that William I gave the church to Westminster Abbey in 1067. Later, in 1182, control of the church was shared between Westminster Abbey and Bermondsey Priory.
London Bridge and St Thomas Becket: 13th and 14th Centuries
For centuries, London had wooden bridges. But in 1209, a stone bridge was finished. This bridge was built by Peter of Colechurch, a priest. Building bridges was seen as a very religious act.
Until 1831, the main entrance to London from the south was right past St Magnus. The bridge even had a chapel dedicated to Thomas Becket. This chapel was for pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral. Most of the bridge and the chapel were in St Magnus's parish.
The church became more important over time. In 1234, land was given to expand the church. In 1276, records show the church was worth £15 a year.
In 1274, King Edward I and his wife returned from the Holy Land. They were crowned on August 19, which was St Magnus's Day. The city celebrated with wine flowing from a fountain!
A religious group called the Confraternity de Salve Regina started in 1343. They sang a special song every evening. Later, this group joined with another to help restore and enlarge St Magnus church.
Henry Yevele, a famous builder who worked on Westminster Hall and Canterbury Cathedral, was a member of St Magnus. He rebuilt the chapel on London Bridge. He was buried at St Magnus when he died in 1400.
Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous poet who wrote The Canterbury Tales, lived near the bridge. His characters might have belonged to a guild like the one at St Magnus.
Changes During the Reformation: 15th and 16th Centuries
In 1417, there was a disagreement about which church rector should lead a procession. The Mayor decided that St Peter Cornhill's rector should go first.
In 1413, a man named John Hert gave £40 to the church to build a new south aisle. Land was also given to create a cloister, which was used as a graveyard.
St Magnus Corner, at the north end of London Bridge, was a key meeting spot. Notices were put up there, and announcements were made. The church also had a group of singing children from the 1470s to the 1550s.
During the Reformation, many changes happened. In 1527, a preacher named Thomas Bilney criticized a new statue in St Magnus. He was later executed for heresy. A plaque at the church remembers him as a "spiritual father of the Reformation."
Myles Coverdale, who translated the Bible into English, was rector of St Magnus from 1564 to 1566. He was buried in another church, but his remains were moved to St Magnus in 1840.
In 1559, some religious items in St Magnus were destroyed due to strong Protestant feelings. The churchwardens were ordered to break up all the altar stones.
Fire and Rebuilding: 17th Century
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In 1633, St Magnus almost burned down. A fire started nearby and destroyed many houses on London Bridge. But the church was saved! A special sermon is still preached every year on February 12 to remember this.
During the Great Plague of London in 1665, fires were kept burning day and night to clean the air. One of these fires was right by St Magnus Church.
Despite its escape in 1633, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The fire started very close by.
The rebuilding of St Magnus began in 1668. It was completed between 1671 and 1687 under the famous architect Christopher Wren. St Magnus was one of Wren's most expensive churches to rebuild.
The church's beautiful tower and spire were added between 1703 and 1706. Wren's tall spires changed London's skyline, and St Magnus's is considered one of his best.
A large clock sticks out from the tower. It was a well-known landmark on Old London Bridge. Sir Charles Duncombe, a Lord Mayor of London, gave it to the church in 1709. He promised to give a public clock if he became successful.
Just before he died, Sir Charles Duncombe ordered a new organ for the church. This was the first organ to have a "swell-box," which allowed for changing the volume of notes. The organ case is a beautiful example of wood carving.
The hymn tune "St Magnus" was written in 1701 and named after the church.
The End of Old London Bridge
Between 1756 and 1762, the buildings on London Bridge were removed to make the road wider. St Magnus blocked the new walkway. So, in 1762-1763, parts of the church were removed. This created a path for people to walk under the tower.
A serious fire in 1760 damaged the church roof. By 1782, the noise from Billingsgate Fish Market was so loud that the large windows on the north side of the church were blocked up.
In 1825, a new London Bridge was started further upstream. When it opened in 1831, the old bridge was taken down. St Magnus was no longer the main gateway to London. Two stones from the old London Bridge were found in 1921. They now stand in the churchyard.
Wren's church of St Michael Crooked Lane was demolished for the new bridge. Its parish was joined with St Magnus.
The area around St Magnus changed a lot. New buildings like Adelaide House were built. In the 1960s, Lower Thames Street was widened for traffic. A new London Bridge was built between 1967 and 1973.
Today, you can get a clear view of the church from the east side. The view from The Monument over St Magnus to the River Thames is protected.
20th Century and Beyond
In 1890, there was talk of combining St Magnus with another church. This would have meant demolishing St George Botolph Lane. But this plan did not happen.
Until 1922, the annual Fish Harvest Festival was held at St Magnus. The church kept strong ties with the local fish merchants until the old Billingsgate Market closed.
In 1920, a report suggested demolishing 19 City churches, including St Magnus. There was a huge public outcry. T. S. Eliot wrote about how important these churches were to London's beauty. The plan was stopped.
In 1921, Henry Joy Fynes-Clinton became the new rector. This appointment meant the church would not be demolished.
Between the Wars: Anglo-Catholic Tradition
The inside of the church was restored in 1924 by Martin Travers. He gave it a neo-baroque style. This reflected the Anglo-Catholic beliefs of the church. Fynes-Clinton made the church's interior very beautiful.
Fynes-Clinton had strong Anglo-Catholic views. He made St Magnus look like a baroque Roman Catholic church. He was known for his kindness and humor.
In 1922, Fynes-Clinton restarted the Fraternity of Our Lady de Salve Regina. He also put up a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham. He organized pilgrimages to the Norfolk shrine.
In 1937, Fynes-Clinton visited Kirkwall for the 800th anniversary of St Magnus Cathedral. He visited Egilsay, where St Magnus was killed. He suggested building a memorial there. In 1938, a stone cairn was built on Egilsay. It remembers Earl Magnus and the cathedral's anniversary.
World War II to Today
A bomb hit London Bridge in 1940 during the Blitz in World War II. It broke all the church windows and damaged the roof. However, the church was repaired in 1951. It was reopened for worship by the Bishop of London.
Fr Fynes-Clinton was rector until his death in 1959. Fr Colin Gill took over in 1960. He was also connected to Walsingham.
Since 2003, Fr Philip Warner has been the parish priest. Since 2004, there has been an annual Blessing of the Thames. The congregations of St Magnus and Southwark Cathedral meet on London Bridge for this. In 2016, a relic of St Thomas Becket was brought to St Magnus for people to see.
The church has a high standard of music. The choir has released CDs. St Magnus also hosts many musical events.
Inside the Church
Martin Travers restored the main altar in 1924. It includes paintings of Moses and Aaron. Above the altar, there is a painted and gilded cross. A carved golden pelican is in the center, a symbol of self-sacrifice.
The old box pews were removed. New pews were installed to make the interior look more European. Travers also designed the statue of St Magnus of Orkney. He also designed the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham.
On the north wall, there is a Russian Orthodox icon from 1908. The modern stations of the cross are made of Japanese oak. One window in the north wall is from 1671. Other windows show the coats of arms of different guilds.
The stained glass windows in the south wall show churches connected to the parish that are now gone. These include St Magnus and his ruined church on Egilsay. They also show St Margaret of Antioch and St Michael.
The church has a detailed model of Old London Bridge. One tiny figure on the bridge wears a policeman's uniform. This represents the model-maker, who was a police officer.
The church owns two old fire engines from the parish of St Michael, Crooked Lane. One is on display inside the church.
Bells
Before the Great Fire of London in 1666, the old tower had five bells. After the fire, new bells were cast in 1672. A new tower was finished in 1704.
In 1713, it was decided to replace the bells with a new set of eight. These were cast by Richard Phelps. Later, two more bells were added, making a total of ten. The bells were rung for the opening of the new London Bridge in 1831.
The 10 bells were removed for safety during World War II in 1940. They were stored in the churchyard. In 1951, it was found that four of them were cracked. The bells were eventually sold for scrap in 1976. The metal was used to cast bells for a tower in Washington, D.C.
In 2005, a fund was started to install a new set of 12 bells. The money was raised, and the bells were cast in 2008/2009. They were blessed by the Bishop of London in 2009. The bells are named after saints, including Michael, Margaret, and Magnus.
The bells are often rung on Sundays by the Guild of St Magnus.
Connections to Livery Companies and Bridge Ward
St Magnus has strong ties to three important London livery companies. Their coats of arms are shown in the church's stained glass windows.
The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers holds an election service at St Magnus every other June. The Worshipful Company of Plumbers also uses St Magnus as its Guild Church. They hold all their services there. In 2011, a service celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Plumbers' Company Royal Charter.
St Magnus is also the church for the Ward of Bridge and Bridge Without. This ward elects one of the city's aldermen. The Bridge Ward Club holds its annual carol service at St Magnus.
See also
