St Mary's Church, Islington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Islington |
|
|---|---|
| The Parish Church of St Mary, Islington | |
St Mary's Church viewed from the church gardens
|
|
| Location | Upper Street, Islington, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Open Evangelical |
| History | |
| Founded | 12th Century (estimate) |
| Dedication | Mary the Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Architect(s) | Lancelot Dowbiggin, Reginald Blomfield, Seely & Paget |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Islington, St Mary |
| Deanery | Islington |
| Archdeaconry | Hackney |
| Episcopal area | Stepney |
| Diocese | London |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a very old church in Islington, London. It's part of the Church of England. This church is a "Grade II listed building," which means it's an important historical building.
The church is located on Upper Street in Islington. Its area stretches between Angel and Highbury Corner. The churchyard, which is the land around the church, was made bigger in 1793. By 1853, it was full and no longer used for burials. In 1885, it became a public garden for everyone to enjoy.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
Early Days: Before the 1600s
The first church building here was built a very long time ago, around the 1100s. It was later replaced by a new church in the 1400s.
One of the early leaders of the church was John Farley. He was known as the vicar of "Iseldon" (an old name for Islington) in 1446.
Before he became a bishop in 1509, Edward Vaughan was also a vicar here. Later, Robert Browne, who helped start the idea of Congregationalism, worked at St Mary's until about 1578.
The 1600s: New Beginnings
In 1606, John Webster, a famous writer of plays, got married at St Mary's. He married his second wife, Sara Peniall, here.
William Cave became the vicar in 1662 when he was only 25 years old. He stayed in this role until 1689. He was buried at the church after he passed away in 1713.
The 1700s: Changes and Rebuilding
In 1738, the vicar of St Mary's, George Stonehouse, asked Charles Wesley to help lead the church. Charles Wesley was a famous preacher and hymn writer. He often preached and prayed at St Mary's.
However, some people did not like Wesley's preaching. In 1739, the church leaders told him and George Whitefield they could no longer preach there. After this, Wesley decided to join his brother, John, in Bristol and preach outdoors.
The church building became very old and damaged. So, in 1750, a special law was passed to allow it to be rebuilt. The new church was finished and opened in 1754. It was designed by Lancelot Dowbiggin.
During this time, the church started to connect with leaders from Africa. In 1759, Philip Quaque, whose father was a king in Ghana, was baptized at St Mary's. He later became the first black African to become a priest in the Church of England. He went back to Ghana to work as a missionary.
The 1800s: Growth and Important Figures
The Reverend Daniel Wilson was the vicar from 1824 to 1832. He later became a bishop in India. In 1831, he helped start the Lord's Day Observance Society. The Islington Clerical Conference, a big meeting for church leaders, was also started by Daniel Wilson. It was held at St Mary's for many years.
Daniel Wilson's son, also named Daniel, was the vicar for 54 years. During his time, many new churches were built in Islington because the population grew so much.
A young man named Samuel Ajayi Crowther came to Islington from Sierra Leone in 1826. He studied at the church's school and attended services. He later became the first African bishop in Nigeria. He was also a great linguist, meaning he studied languages. He translated parts of the Bible into the Yoruba language. He returned to Islington several times. In 1870, he even ordained his own son, Dandeson Crowther, at St Mary's Church.
After Daniel Wilson the second passed away, William Hagger Barlow became the vicar. He built the Bishop Wilson Memorial Hall and the vicarage (the house where the vicar lives).
The 1900s: War and Rebuilding
In 1904, a large entrance porch was added to the church. It was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. This porch includes a carving showing the birth of Jesus.
Donald Coggan, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury (the leader of the Church of England), worked at St Mary's from 1934 to 1937. David Sheppard, who later became a bishop, played cricket for England while he was working at St Mary's from 1955 to 1957.
During World War II, on September 9, 1940, a bomb hit the church. Most of the church was destroyed, but the tower and spire (the tall, pointed part of the roof) remained standing.
The church was rebuilt after the war. It was reopened in 1956. The new design was created by John Seely and Paul Paget. They wanted to create a bright and open space for worship.
The main worship area is very large and has big, clear windows. These windows let in a lot of natural light. The church has beautiful murals (large paintings on walls) by Brian Thomas. Some parts of the original church, like the lectern (a stand for reading), the baptismal font (a basin for baptisms), and the Royal Arms, survived the bombing and are still in the church today.
In 1962, George Carey became a curate here. He helped connect the church with local government and started a new Boy's Club.
In 1967, the first Asian Christian Church in the UK started at St Mary's. This church held services in Urdu, a language spoken in Pakistan. This inspired other "Urdu Fellowships" to start in London and across the UK.
The 2000s: Community Focus
In 2003, the vicar Graham Kings helped start a group called Fulcrum. This group works to keep the evangelical tradition strong in the Church of England.
Since the 1990s, Islington has become a very popular place to live. St Mary's Church has continued to serve the many different people in the area. The crypt, which is the space under the church, was completely changed. In 2009, the St Mary Islington Community Partnership was created. This group helps run and expand the community services offered in the crypt and the neighbourhood centre.
Worship Services
St Mary's Church holds worship services almost every day of the week. On Sundays, the main service is at 11:00 AM. There is also a quieter evening service at 6:00 PM. Once a month, there is a Holy Communion service at 9:00 AM using the Book of Common Prayer.
A daily morning prayer meeting takes place at 9:30 AM on weekdays and Saturdays.
