St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey
St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey
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OS grid reference	TQ333795
Location	Bermondsey in the London Borough of Southwark
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	http://www.stmarysbermondsey.org.uk/

St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey is a Church of England church. It is named after St Mary Magdalen. You can find it in Bermondsey, a part of the London Borough of Southwark. Most of the church building you see today was built in the late 1600s. It is a special building, listed as Grade II*. This means it is a very important historical building.

The area the church serves, called its parish, reaches all the way to the River Thames. This includes famous spots like the south tower of Tower Bridge and City Hall. Other church areas, like St Olave Tooley Street, St Luke Grange Road, and St John Horsleydown, have joined with this church's parish over time.

History of the Church

When Was the Church First Built?

People first wrote about a church on this spot in 1290. This early church served the workers at Bermondsey Abbey. We don't know what that first building looked like.

How the Church Was Rebuilt

In 1680, the old church was taken down and rebuilt. They kept the old tower from the 1400s, which had a Gothic-style window and arches. The rebuilding finished around 1690. Later, in 1705, a new section for seating was added on the north side. Another one was added on the south side in 1794. The south section still has its original boxed pews. These are like small rooms for families to sit in during church.

Changes Over the Years

More changes happened in 1830. An architect named George Porter updated the tower and the west side of the church. He also fixed the old medieval window. During these changes, a porch and a school building that were in Bermondsey Street were removed.

The inside of the church was redecorated in 1852. This was done in a style called Gothic Revival, which brought back older designs. In 1883, the front part of the church, called the chancel, was made longer. A new stained glass window was put in, and other "beautification" work was done.

Surviving Challenges

The church survived the bombings during The Blitz in World War II. However, the inside of the west end was damaged by fire in 1971. The outside of the church was first covered with a protective layer in 1829. It was covered again most recently in 1994. This church is now the oldest building in its area. You can still see the old medieval arches inside the tower, behind the organ.

The church as seen from the southeast

The Church Organ

The first organ was put in the church in 1751. It was replaced in 1851 by a company called J.W. Walker. Three years later, the old organ was moved and used again at another church in Wiltshire.

Historical Treasures

Inside the church, you can see two beautiful carved stone pieces. These are called capitals and are very old, from the medieval period. They were found nearby in the early 1900s and given to the church for safekeeping. They most likely came from Bermondsey Abbey.

The church also owns a special silver bowl from the medieval times. It is called the Bermondsey Mazer. This bowl is kept safely at the Victoria and Albert Museum. People say it is the only silver item left from Bermondsey Abbey.

Churchyard and Records

The churchyard, where people were buried, was closed in 1854. This was common for London churchyards because they became too full and could cause health problems. The churchyard has several important old tombs. One of these belongs to the family of Charles Rolls, who helped start Rolls-Royce. The local council now looks after the churchyard. All the old church records are kept at the London Metropolitan Archives.

Images for kids

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  St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey

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  The church as seen from the southeast