St Mary and St Peter's Church, Wennington facts for kids

St Mary and St Peter's Church is a historic church in Wennington, London. It's part of the Church of England. This special building is officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's very important and protected.

Quick facts for kids St Mary and St Peter, Wennington
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholicism
Administration
Deanery	Havering
Archdeaconry	Archdeaconry of West Ham
Diocese	Diocese of Chelmsford
Province	Province of Canterbury

The Story of St Mary and St Peter's Church

Who Looked After the Church?

For a long time, the church in Wennington was connected to Westminster Abbey. This was way back in the 1100s! It might have been given to the Abbey even before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Interior of the church, looking towards the altar.

Later, in 1541, the church's ownership changed. It went to the new Diocese of Westminster, then to the Bishop of London. In 1852, it moved to the Bishop of Peterborough. Finally, in 1958, it was given to the Martyrs' Memorial Trust.

Fixing Up the Church

Over the years, the church needed many repairs. Around 1600, part of the church (the south aisle) was taken down. In the early 1700s, more big repairs happened.

By 1874, the church was in poor condition. But good news! It was fixed up and made bigger in 1885 and 1886. This was because more people were moving to the area. During this time, they rebuilt the south aisle and added new windows. They also added a special room for the organ. A new entrance porch was built in 1900.

The Church Today

View of the church during the wildfire. The fire went through the graveyard but did not damage the church much.

On July 19, 2022, a big wildfire swept through Wennington village. It destroyed many buildings. Amazingly, St Mary and St Peter's Church survived the fire! The fire burned through the graveyard, but the church itself was mostly safe.

How the Church Was Built

The church building you see today has parts from many different times. It's like a history book made of stone!

• Some parts, like a doorway in the vestry, are from the 1100s.
• The font (where baptisms happen) is from the early 1200s.
• The main parts of the church, like the nave and chancel, are also from the early 1200s.
• The tall west tower was built in the late 1300s.
• The arch leading to the chancel and the roof of the nave were rebuilt in the late 1400s or early 1500s.