St Mary Magdalene, Enfield facts for kids
St Mary Magdalene, Enfield is a special church in Enfield, London. It belongs to the Church of England. The church is named after Mary Magdalene, a friend of Jesus. This beautiful building is very old and important, so it's protected as a Grade II* listed site by Historic England. This means it's a building of special historical interest.
Contents
The Church's Story
How St Mary Magdalene Was Built
The church was built to remember Philip Twells. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) and a banker. His wife, Georgiana Twells, wanted to create a special memorial for him. She hired a famous architect named William Butterfield to design the church.
The first stone for the church was placed in 1881. The building was finished and opened to people in 1883.
Amazing Art Inside
Many talented artists worked on the church's interior. Charles Edgar Buckeridge painted the ceiling and the east wall of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is the most sacred part of the church.
After Charles Buckeridge passed away, Nathaniel Westlake painted the side walls. In 2012, these paintings were carefully cleaned and repaired. This important work was possible thanks to donations from local people. The Heritage Lottery Fund also helped.
The church also has beautiful stained-glass windows. These colorful windows were made by a company called Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
The Church Bells
The church tower first had eight bells. These bells were made in 1883 by John Warner & Sons. They were used for "change ringing," which is a special way of ringing bells in patterns.
However, these original bells were very heavy. They started to cause damage to the church tower. So, in 1999, new bells were put in.
The new bells are lighter and were made by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The older, heavier bells found a new home. They were bought by Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston, United States. There, they were installed and two new bells were added, making a total of ten bells.
Gallery
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The Sanctuary
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The ceiling
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The ceiling
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North wall
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South wall
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The Angel Gabriel, East wall
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The Magi, East wall
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Christian received into Heaven
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West window
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East window
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Holy Family
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