St Mary Magdalene Woolwich facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalene Woolwich
Southwest view of the church
Location	Woolwich, Royal Borough of Greenwich, London
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Central
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Mary Magdalene
Dedicated	9 May 1740
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade B listed
Years built	1732–1739
Administration
Parish	Woolwich St. Mary Magdalene with St. Michael and All Angels
Archdeaconry	Lewisham and Greenwich
Diocese	Diocese of Southwark
Province	Province of Canterbury

St Mary Magdalene Woolwich is an old and important Anglican church in Woolwich, southeast London, England. It was built in the 1700s and is named after Mary Magdalene. This church has a long history, connecting to the very early days of Christianity in the area.

Discovering Woolwich's Early Christian History
Exploring the Church Building
- What the Outside Looks Like
- What the Inside Looks Like
Exploring St Mary's Garden
See also

Discovering Woolwich's Early Christian History

Christianity has been present in Woolwich since the Early Middle Ages. In 2015, experts from Oxford Archaeology found an old burial site near the Thames river. They discovered 76 skeletons from the late 600s or early 700s. These people were buried without any items, which suggests they were early Christians.

The first church in Woolwich was likely built before the Norman Conquest in 1066. It was dedicated to Saint Lawrence. This church stood on a piece of land that stuck out into the river, about 37 meters north of where the current church is.

How Woolwich Churches Changed Over Time

From the early 900s to the mid-1100s, Woolwich was controlled by the abbots of St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent, Belgium. This was probably a gift from Ælfthryth, who was the daughter of King Alfred. Around the year 1100, King Henry I gave the church to Gundulf of Rochester, who was a bishop and prior of Rochester Cathedral. It was likely around this time that the church was rebuilt using stone.

The church's dedication changed over the centuries. It was first dedicated to Saint Lawrence. Then, in the 1400s, it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. About a hundred years later, it was dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene, which is its current dedication.

Building the Current Church in the 1700s

By the 1700s, the old church was in bad shape. Its spire had fallen, and the building's foundations were weak. So, a new church was needed. The current church was built between 1732 and 1739, very close to where the medieval church stood.

The name of the architect who designed the church is not known. It was common for plain brick churches with rounded windows to be built in London during that time. The new church received some funding from the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches. A bricklayer named Matthew Spray from Deptford built it, using a huge number of bricks – 636,000 in total! The church was officially opened on May 9, 1740. After that, the old church was taken down, and the churchyard was made bigger and surrounded by a wall.

Changes and Restorations in the 1800s and 1900s

In 1875, Adelbert Anson became the rector of Woolwich. He wanted to build a new church, and several architects worked on designs. The most detailed design was in the Gothic Revival style by James Brooks. However, nothing came of these plans.

Later, Samuel Gilbert Scott, another rector, planned for a new chancel (the area around the altar) and vestries (rooms for clergy). These were designed by his cousin, J.O. Scott, and finished in 1894. Around the same time, the churchyard was turned into a public garden. Some changes were also made to the inside of the church in 1924.

The church was not badly damaged during World War II. During those years, Cuthbert Bardsley, who later became the Bishop of Coventry, was a very active rector. In 1954, the building was given a special heritage status, known as Grade B listed. This is similar to today's Grade II and Grade II* listings, meaning it's an important historic building.

In 1960, a new and innovative rector named Nicolas Stacey arrived. His "Woolwich Project" (1960–68) brought new life to the church. He made many changes, like using frosted glass panels to separate the aisles and galleries to create a cafe and offices. He also turned the crypt (an underground room) into a youth club. The "Coffee House" was opened by Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones in May 1961.

From 1965 to 2001, Stacey also invited local Presbyterians to meet with the Anglicans in the church. In the 1970s, the parish of St Mary Magdalene joined with two other churches to form a larger parish in Woolwich. Some restoration work was done in 1977. In 2008, the gallery partitions were removed, bringing back the original open feel of the building.

In May 2019, St Mary's Church and its gardens became part of a conservation area. This means the area is protected because of its historical and architectural importance.

Exploring the Church Building

What the Outside Looks Like

The church stands on a piece of land that extends north towards the Thames river. It is built of brick, with special Portland stone details like the base, top edges, window frames, and main cornice (a decorative molding).

The bell tower sticks out from the west side of the church. It has a flat top without a fancy balustrade, spire, or lantern. The brick chancel (the eastern part of the church) added in 1894 has Bath stone supports, decorative bands, and a triangular pediment at the top.

West facade
Detail east facade
View from the southeast
View from the northeast

What the Inside Looks Like

Inside, the church has a main area called a nave with five sections. It is lined with colonnades (rows of columns), similar to another church in Deptford. There are also two side aisles with galleries (upper levels). Some parts were added in the 1800s, including the chancel, the Lady Chapel to the south (which holds the unique iron tomb of Henry Maudslay), and the organ chamber to the north.

The inside of the church is painted in pale blue and white. This includes the large red stone columns near the chancel and the smaller columns around the east window. The royal coat of arms from 1740 used to hang above the altar area. Now, it is kept in the porch under the tower.

The pipe organ was made by John Byfield in 1754. It was first placed in the west gallery. When the new chancel was built in 1894, the old oak reredos (a screen behind the altar) was moved to the south chapel. Above it is a beautiful stained glass window created by Herbert Hendrie in 1922. A special pulpit (a raised stand for speaking) made of walnut was installed in 1899. It can move on rails and was paid for by public donations to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

View towards the east
North gallery
Royal coat of arms
List of rectors

Exploring St Mary's Garden

The churchyard is now a public park called Saint Mary's Garden. It is designed in the style of an English landscape garden. Fanny Wilkinson, Britain's first professional woman landscape gardener, designed it in 1893. Her design includes gravel paths, grassy areas, and old trees. You can still see some old gravestones along the northeastern edge of the park.

Nearby is the tomb of bare-knuckle boxer Tom Cribb, who lived in Woolwich. His tomb is shaped like a sad lion resting its paw on an urn. Stairs lead up to the park entrance from Woolwich Church Street. Other entrances are on Church Hill, St Mary Street, and John Wilson Street.

Two belvederes (raised structures with views), one just outside the park, offer great views of the Thames river and the Woolwich Ferry. However, new tall buildings along the river are starting to block some of these views. In the early 1960s, the park was made larger and redesigned by G.P. Youngman. He added new paths, raised flower beds, and rock gardens. A drinking fountain and several tombs were removed, including that of the famous Woolwich-born engineer Henry Maudslay.