St Mary's Church, Addington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin | |
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Southeast view of the Church of Saint Mary, Addington
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| 51°21′30″N 0°01′56″W / 51.358453°N 0.032254°W | |
| Location | Addington, London Borough of Croydon, Greater London |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Modern Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Mary the Blessed Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Designated | 29 January 1951 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Parish of Addington |
| Deanery | Croydon Addington |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Croydon |
| Episcopal area | Croydon Episcopal Area |
| Diocese | Diocese of Southwark |
The Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin is an old Anglican church located in Addington, part of London. It's famous because it's connected to the Archbishops of Canterbury from the 1800s. These important church leaders lived nearby at Addington Palace. Five of them are even buried right here at the church!
Contents
History of the Church
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People have worshipped at this church's location since at least the year 1080. It was once the only church in the village of Addington. It even served a much larger area that included Shirley.
The church has parts that are very old. Its main area, called the chancel, and some windows date back to the 11th century. The south aisle, a side section, was built in the early 1200s. It was made narrow because it used to have a roof made of straw.
The church's belltower got its current look in 1876. Inside the tower, there are six bells. The oldest bell might be from 1380. Two other bells are from the 1600s. All the bells were fixed up in 1957. In 1898, the chancel was beautifully decorated. This was done to remember Archbishop Edward White Benson.
On January 29, 1951, St Mary's Church became a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historic building in England. The church was part of the Diocese of Canterbury until 1984. Then it joined the Diocese of Southwark.
Important Burials at St Mary's
The church is the burial place for many important people. These include a Lord Mayor of the City of London. Members of the Leigh family, who were lords of the manor, are also buried here.
Five of the six Archbishops of Canterbury who lived at Addington Palace are buried at St Mary's. The Archbishops buried here are:
- Archbishop Charles Manners-Sutton – died 1828. He is buried in a special room under the church.
- Archbishop William Howley – died 1848. He is buried in the chancel.
- Archbishop John Bird Sumner – died 1862. He is buried in the churchyard.
- Archbishop Charles Longley – died 1868. He is buried in the churchyard.
- Archbishop Archibald Campbell Tait – died 1882. He is buried in the churchyard.
There is also a special monument in the churchyard to remember these archbishops. The churchyard also has war graves. These are for thirteen service members who died in World War I and World War II.
Home Guard Memorial Window
There is a beautiful stained glass window in the church. It remembers the brave people of the 59th (Addington) Battalion of the Home Guard. They served during World War II.
- Above the two main window sections, there's a small round window. It shows a lamb, which is the symbol of the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey). It also has their motto: "Pristinae Virtutis Memor." This means "Mindful of Ancient Virtue."
- At the top of the two main windows, there is a Bible verse. It says, "Everyone had his sword by his side and so builded. Neh. 4 v 18."
- At the bottom of the window, you can read a special message. It says the window was put up in 1952. It's "To the Glory of God and as a memorial of their service to King and Country by members of the 59th Surrey (Addington) Battalion Home Guard."
St Mary's Church Today
Today, the church serves the people living nearby. This includes Addington village and parts of New Addington and Forestdale.
The church follows the Modern Catholic tradition. This is a part of the Church of England.
Notable Clergy Who Served Here
Some people who worked at St Mary's Church later became important bishops.
- John Cavell was a curate here from 1947 to 1949. He later became the Bishop of Southampton.
- Michael Perham was also a curate here from 1976 to 1981. He later became the Bishop of Gloucester.
Images for kids
