St Mary's Church, Hampstead facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Hampstead
St Mary's RC Church
WGMA Georgian Music Recital, Interior of St. Mary's Church
St Mary's Church, Hampstead Location in London Borough of Camden
51°33′25″N 0°10′50″W / 51.556967°N 0.18045°W / 51.556967; -0.18045 (Google Maps)
Location	4 Holly Walk Hampstead, London NW3 6QU
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	St Mary's Church Website
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1816 (1816)
Founder(s)	Abbé Jean-Jacques Morel
Dedicated	17 August 1816
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Architect(s)	William Wardell (1850s additions)
Administration
Parish	Hampstead
Deanery	Camden
Episcopal area	Central and East London
Archdiocese	Westminster
Province	Westminster

St Mary's Church, also known as St Mary's Chapel in the past, is a special Roman Catholic church in Hampstead, London, UK. It's so important that it's listed as a Grade II* building. This means it has a lot of historical and architectural value.

St Mary's Church, Hampstead, external façade

History of St Mary's Church

St Mary's was the first Catholic church built in Hampstead after the English Reformation. This was a big change in England during the 1500s when the Church of England separated from the Roman Catholic Church.

Early Beginnings (1816)

The first leader of the church was Abbé Jean-Jacques Morel. He was a refugee who had to leave France because of the French Revolution. The small chapel was built very quickly, in less than a year. It first opened its doors to people in August 1816.

By this time, many French refugees had gone back home. The church usually had about 100 people attending. More people came in the summer, like Irish hay-makers working in the fields nearby.

Education and Growth

Abbé Morel thought education was very important. He taught religion to boys and girls at private Catholic schools in Hampstead. After the chapel was built, two schools were set up next to the church's house (presbytery). Richer church members helped pay for these schools.

Church Design and Changes

St Mary's Church is at 4 Holly Place on Holly Walk. It's located among old Georgian houses. The church isn't taller than the houses next to it.

The special front of the church, with its bell tower and a statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, was designed by architect William Wardell. This part was added around 1852. This was when a new law allowed Catholic churches to ring their bells.

Inside, the church's special area (sanctuary) has beautiful tile mosaics. There's also a painting called "Assumption of Our Lady." This painting was a gift from George Armstrong, one of the church's founders. You can see this painting in the oldest photo of the church's inside, from 1878.

Later Additions and Repairs

In the 1800s, a school was built behind the church. It was taken down in 1907. That land was then used to build the sanctuary and side chapels you see today.

The presbytery (the house where the priest lives) had major repairs in 1978. Now, the upstairs is for the pastor, and the downstairs is a community center. The church itself was closed in 1990 for big repairs. During this time, the ceiling was removed. This revealed the wooden roof timbers that are a special part of the church's look today.

Nearby Connections

St Dorothy's Convent is a nearby building. During World War II, Charles de Gaulle, a famous French general, lived there with his family for about a year. The Sisters of St Dorothy's help teach religion to children from the church who don't go to Catholic schools.

South of the church, buildings at 1 and 2 Holly Walk were once part of St Vincent's Convent and Orphanage in the 1800s. Later, it grew to include numbers 3 and 4, which is now the presbytery.

Pastors of St Mary's Hampstead

Here are some of the priests who have led St Mary's Church over the years:

Famous People Connected to St Mary's

Many interesting people have been linked to St Mary's Church:

• The original founders in 1815–16 included Joseph Lescher, Edward Whiteside, Richard Power, Lewis Raphael, John Kelly, John Lund, George Armstrong, and James Coppinger.
• Marie Thérèse de France (1778–1851) was the daughter of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette of France. She visited Abbé Morel in Hampstead when she was living in England.
• Clarkson Frederick Stanfield (1793–1867) was a famous English painter of sea scenes. He painted a portrait of Abbé Morel, the church's founder.
• William Wardell (1823–1899) was an engineer and architect. He designed the church's front and belltower, which were added around 1852.
• Friedrich von Hügel (1852–1925) was an important Austrian Catholic writer who lived in Hampstead.
• Graham Greene (1904–1991) was a famous English author. He got married at St Mary's on October 15, 1927.
• Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) was a French general and leader during World War II. He later became the first president of France. He lived at 99 Frognal, near the church.
• Charles Forte, Baron Forte was the founder of the Forte Group, a big hotel and catering company. He lived with his family nearby.
• Gino Masero (1915–1995) was a British-Italian wood sculptor. He carved the statue of Christ that is in St Paul's Cathedral. He also carved the Stations of the Cross and the Christmas crib figures for St Mary's.
• Michael Williams (1935–2001) was an English actor. He was married to the famous actress Dame Judi Dench.
• John Moffatt (born 1922) is an English actor. He is well-known for playing Hercule Poirot on BBC Radio. John Moffatt, Michael Williams, and Dame Judi Dench performed together in 1996. This event helped raise money for major repairs to the church.

Art and Music at St Mary's

The church has an organ made by Bishop & Son. It has two keyboards (manuals).

The church choir practices music for different seasons, psalms, and Taizé music. Anyone who wants to sing can join the choir in the organ loft.

The carved Stations of the Cross and the Christmas crib figures were made by Gino Masero, who is mentioned above.

Visiting St Mary's Church

The church is usually open for visitors on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. You can visit from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Mass is held during the week at 9:00 AM (sometimes at St. Dorothy's Convent). On Saturday, Mass is at 6:30 PM, with confessions from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM. On Sunday, Mass times are 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, and 6:30 PM (with hymns).