St Mary's Church, Welling facts for kids
St Mary the Virgin Church is a special church located in Welling, a town in the London Borough of Bexley. It is named after the Virgin Mary. This church is part of the Diocese of Southwark. It is well-known for its amazing collection of 20th-century art.
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Building the Church
In 1934, more people moved to the area. This meant a new hall was needed for the church community. Plans for a permanent church building were put on hold because of WWII. After the war, a talented architect named Thomas Ford designed the church. It was built in 1954 and officially opened in 1955.
Church Design and Art
Unique Architectural Style
The church was designed by Thomas Ford. He was inspired by an older architect named Sir John Soane. St Mary's, Welling, shows Ford's unique style. From the outside, it looks like an Italian Romanesque style building made of brick. It has a bell tower, called a campanile, on one side. But inside, the church looks like an ancient Greek building.
Amazing Artworks Inside
St Mary's Church is home to many artworks by famous artists from the 1900s.
- Sgraffito Artwork: Above the main entrance, there is a special artwork called a tympanum. It is decorated with sgraffito, a rare art form in Britain. Sgraffito is a type of mural painting. The artist was Augustus Lunn. His artwork shows scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.
- Ascension Mural: Inside, behind the altar, there is a large painting called a reredos. It shows the Ascension of Jesus. This mural was painted by Hans Feibusch, a German artist. He often worked with the architect Thomas Ford.
- Stained Glass Windows: On either side of the Feibusch mural are beautiful stained glass windows. They were made by Claire Dawson. These windows show two archangels: St Michael and Uriel.
- Wall Paintings: Claire Dawson also painted murals under the arches inside the church. These paintings tell stories from the Old Testament that connect to stories in the New Testament.
- Virgin and Child Statue: There is a statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. It is carved from limewood and was made by Philip Bentham.
- Stations of the Cross: In 1992, ceramic artworks showing the Stations of the Cross were added. These were installed by John Dawson.
Side Chapel and Organ
The church has a small side chapel dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury. This chapel holds the blessed sacrament. The church also has a large organ built in 1955 by Mander Organs. It has four keyboards and 23 different sounds. The bell tower has one bell.
The church building is important to the local area. It was added to the London Borough of Bexley's local list in 2011.
Church Groups and Activities
St Mary's Church is a busy place for the community. It hosts the 2nd East Wickham Scout Group and the 3rd East Wickham Guide Company. These groups offer fun activities for young people.
Church Leaders
The church is led by a vicar. Here are some of the people who have served as leaders:
- Robert Cecil Walter Dampier, 1955–1960.
- Timothy John Raphael, 1960–1963. He later became a Dean and an Archdeacon.
- John Broughall, 1964–1973.
- Noël Walter, 1974–1982.
- Michael Augustine Owen Lewis, 1984–1991. He later became a Bishop in different parts of the world.
- Charles Everett Blankenship, 1991–1999.
- Lucille Catherine Gale, 2000–2009.
- Kim Elizabeth Aston, 2010–2017.
- Neil Nicholls has been the Priest-in-Charge since 2019.
