St Mary's Church, Wimbledon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Wimbledon |
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St Mary's Church
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 St Mary's Church, Wimbledon
Location in Greater London
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| 51°25′43″N 0°12′38″W / 51.42849°N 0.21060°W | |
| Location | Wimbledon, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | before 1086 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Architect(s) | Sir George Gilbert Scott |
| Style | Gothic Architecture |
| Years built | 1843 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Parish of Wimbledon |
| Deanery | Merton |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Lambeth |
| Diocese | Diocese of Southwark |
St Mary's Church, Wimbledon is a historic Church of England church. It is located in south-west London, England. This church has been here since the 12th century. It might even be the church mentioned in the Domesday Book from that time. St Mary's is still used today. It has been a special listed building since 1949.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
Since 1086, four different church buildings have stood on this spot:
- The first church was built between the 11th and 13th centuries.
- The second church stood from the late 13th century until 1786.
- The third church, called the Georgian Church, was here from the 1780s to the 1840s.
- The current church, known as the Victorian Church, was finished in 1843.
The Victorian Church Building
The church you see today was built in 1843. It was designed by a famous architect named Sir George Gilbert Scott. He worked for an architecture firm called 'Messers Scott and Moffat'. Sir George had to build the church without spending more than £4000. He managed this by using parts from the older church building. You can still see some of these older parts today. A new and noticeable part added was the tall tower and spire, which reaches 196 feet high.
During some repair work in 1860, old wooden beams were found in the chancel roof. These beams are thought to be from the Medieval period. They have a special zigzag and flower pattern. The beams were fixed up in 1993. This was part of the church's 150th birthday celebrations.
Important Memorials
The oldest memorial in the church is from 1537. It remembers Philip and Margaret Lewston. Their daughter, Katherine Walter, had it made. She also has a memorial inside the church.
Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon was a powerful local lord. His tomb is in a special side chapel. He had this chapel built in the 1620s. It originally had six small windows. These windows honored his two wives and four daughters. In 1651, Dorothy Cecil left money to care for her father's tomb. Any extra money was used to help local children get an education or learn a trade.
Sir Richard Wynn was a Member of Parliament in the 1600s. He is buried in the main part of the church. He famously looked after Wimbledon Manor House for Henrietta Maria of France. She was the wife of King Charles I of England. She had to leave England in 1642 during the English Civil War.
Sir Theodore Janssen was another Lord of the Wimbledon Manor House. He helped start the Bank of England. He was also involved with a company called the South Sea Company. There is a memorial for him too.
More recent memorials are brass plaques. One remembers William Wilberton, who worked to end slavery. He lived nearby. Another is for Walter Reynolds. He was once the church's rector and later became the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The newest memorials honor Leslie Godfree and Kathleen McKane Godfree. They were very successful tennis players in the early 1900s.
Burials in the Churchyard
At the east end of the churchyard is a large tomb. It belongs to Sir Joseph William Bazalgette. He was a famous engineer. He designed the Embankment and the sewer system in London around 1858. There is also a memorial stone for Sir Joseph inside the church. Many of his family members are remembered in the church's book of remembrance. The artist Fred Barnard (1846-1896) is buried here. So is the scholar Alfred W. Pollard (1859-1944).
Church Halls for Activities
Fellowship House was built in 1974. It replaced a small room above a shop. Many church groups and other local groups used it. Today, it is a day nursery during the week. The church uses it on weekends. The main church office is also in Fellowship House.
The Garden Hall was finished in 2003. More space was needed for church activities. This was especially true for the growing Sunday School. The building has a modern design. It has even won awards for its architecture. One wall is a large glass window. Part of it opens to a grassy area outside. Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy officially opened it on May 3, 2003.
Church Bells
St Mary's Church has 8 church bells.
In 1984, all 8 bells were updated. The oldest bell is the original No. 7. It is dedicated to St. Bartholemew. A London Bell Foundry made this bell around 1520.
Church Services
Sundays:
- 8:00am — Holy Communion
- 9:30am — Sung Eucharist
- 11:15am — Informal Worship
- 6:30pm — Evensong
Live Streaming Services
St Mary's has a full system to stream services online. They stream to both Zoom and YouTube. Every service is streamed except for the 11:15 one. The streaming system was fully updated in January 2022. It has helped more people join the church services from home.
Other Churches Nearby
See: Parish of Wimbledon
Churches in Wimbledon Team Ministry
- St Mark's Wimbledon
- St Matthew's Wimbledon
- St John's Wimbledon
Other Churches in the Local Area
- Emmanuel Church, Wimbledon
- Christ Church, West Wimbledon
- Holy Trinity, South Wimbledon
- Sacred Heart Church, Wimbledon (Roman Catholic)
- Trinity Church, Wimbledon (URC)
See also
- Parish of Wimbledon
- Wimbledon Manor House
