St Mary's Church, Hanwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Mary |
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| St Mary’s Church Hanwell | |
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 Saint Mary
Location in Greater London
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| 51°30′49.51″N 0°20′51.4″W / 51.5137528°N 0.347611°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ 147 807 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://www.stmaryshanwell.org.uk/index.php |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | approx. 954 AD ? |
| Founder(s) | St. Dunstan? |
| Consecrated | Present building: 27 April 1842 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Architect(s) | George Gilbert Scott with W.B. Moffatt |
| Style | Mainly Gothic Revival with some interior Georgian elements. |
| Construction cost | £2,369 (Two thousand, three hundred and sixty-nine Pounds sterling) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 400 |
| Number of floors | Two |
| Floor area | 518.04 square metres (5,576.1 sq ft) |
| Number of spires | One |
| Materials | Flint-rubble and mortar, white brick quioning and stone dressings. |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Hanwell |
| Deanery | Ealing (West) |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
St Mary's Parish Church is a Church of England church in Hanwell, a part of West London. It is located on Church Road and has a history that goes back to at least the 1100s.
Contents
History of the Church
An Ancient Site
St Mary's was built on the highest piece of land in Hanwell. This spot gives a great view over the River Brent valley, making it a perfect location for a church. Its tall, pointed tower, called a broach spire, can be seen from far away.
Some historians, like Sir Montagu Sharpe, have wondered if this spot was used for worship even before Christianity came to England. This is because high places were often seen as special. However, there is no solid proof to support this idea.
The first definite records of a church here are from the 12th century. At that time, it was the main church for a large area that stretched all the way to the River Thames.
The Victorian Church Building
By the 1800s, the old church was too small for the growing number of people in Hanwell. A decision was made to build a new, larger church. The famous architect George Gilbert Scott was chosen to design it.
At the time, the Gothic style was very popular. Scott designed the new church with pointed Gothic arches and walls made of flint. The church's bell tower is a major landmark. The new building was officially opened on April 27, 1842.
This was one of Scott's first church designs. He later said he wasn't very happy with it because he felt it was missing a chancel (the area around the altar). A chancel was eventually added in 1898. The wall paintings inside the chancel are believed to have been painted by William Frederick Yeames, a famous artist who was once a churchwarden here.
Special Features and Monuments
Stained Glass Windows
The stained glass windows at the east end of the church are known for their bright and vivid colours. The three windows show the Nativity (the birth of Jesus), the Crucifixion (his death on the cross), and the Resurrection (when he rose from the dead).
Memorials to Interesting People
The church and its graveyard have several monuments to important people.
- The Glasse Family: In the graveyard, there is a monument to the Glasse family which is listed as a special historic structure by English Heritage.
- Margaret Emma Orde: Inside the church, behind the pulpit, is a beautiful memorial to Margaret Emma Orde. It was made by a sculptor named van Gilder.
- Rev. Alec Field: A bronze bust at the west end of the church remembers Rev. Alec Field. He was a missionary who died in 1915 when the ship he was on, the Falaba, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-28 during World War I.
- Bombardier Billy Wells: A plaque in the church honours this famous English heavyweight boxer. He is best known as the man who strikes the gong at the beginning of films from the Rank Organisation. His ashes are kept in the church's crypt (an underground room).
Famous Church Leaders
Over the years, St Mary's has had many well-known rectors (church leaders).
- Dr. George H. Glasse: He was the son of a previous rector and was known for being a great scholar of Greek and Latin. In 1809, he built a unique house near the church called The Hermitage. Sadly, he faced serious money problems and died tragically in London that same year.
- Rev. Derwent Coleridge: He became rector in 1864. He was a respected author and the son of the famous poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. To serve the growing community, he started St. Mark's Church nearby.
- Rev. Fred Secombe: He was the rector from 1969 and was the brother of the famous singer and comedian Harry Secombe. After leaving Hanwell, he became a successful author.
The current rector is Andrew Dand, who joined St Mary's in June 2017.
St Mary's on Screen
Because St Mary's is in a quiet location without traffic noise, it has been a popular place for filming movies and TV shows.
- Staggered (1994): This movie, starring Martin Clunes, used the church for its wedding scenes.
- Shine on Harvey Moon (1993): This TV drama set in the 1940s filmed funeral scenes at the church.
- Not Going Out (2009, 2014): This popular comedy show filmed two different wedding episodes at St. Mary's.
- Carry On Constable (1960): This classic comedy film also used the church as a location.
