St Matthew's, Bethnal Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Matthew, Bethnal Green |
|
|---|---|
| Church of St Matthew, Bethnal Green | |
View of St Matthew Bethnal Green
|
|
| Location | St Matthew's Row, Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, London E2 6DT |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic (Inclusive Church) |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Dance the Elder (1743-46); Thomas Knightley (1859-61); J. Anthony Lewis (1958-61) |
| Years built | 1746, 1861 (following fire damage), 1961 (following damage in WWII) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Matthew's Church in Bethnal Green, London, is a historic church building. It was built in the 1700s and is part of the Church of England. This church has a long and interesting history, including being rebuilt twice after fires and war damage.
Contents
The Church Building: A Look at Its History
St Matthew's Church was built between 1743 and 1746. It was designed by a famous architect named George Dance the Elder. His design was in a style called Classical, which means it looked like old Greek and Roman buildings. The church has a tall tower in the middle of its front.
Rebuilding After Disasters
The church has faced many challenges over the years. In 1859, a big fire destroyed the inside of the church. Luckily, important records and church items were saved. The church was rebuilt in 1861 by Thomas Knightley, who added a small dome, called a cupola, to the tower.
Then, during World War II, in 1940, the roof and inside of the church were destroyed again by bombs. For a while, services were held in a temporary church built inside the damaged walls.
Modern Design and Artworks
The church was rebuilt once more from 1958 to 1961 by Anthony Lewis. He created a modern and bold interior. This new design included amazing artworks by many talented artists from the 20th century.
For example, there's an upper chapel with panels showing the apostles by Peter Snow. You can also see a carving by Kim James that shows a battle between Heaven and Hell. There are wall paintings by Barry Robinson and beautiful glass doors by Heather Child. The altar has sculpted panels by Robert Dawson, and the font (a basin for baptisms) was designed by Anthony Lewis himself. There are also ceramic pictures showing the Stations of the Cross by Donald Potter.
The church was officially opened again in 1961 by the Bishop of London, Henry Montgomery Campbell.
The Church Organs
The church has had several organs over its history. The first one known was installed in 1772. It was later rebuilt but then destroyed in the 1859 fire.
A new organ was put in after the fire, but it was also destroyed during the bombing in World War II. For a time, a simpler reed organ was used. In 1954, an organ from another church was installed. This organ was then moved and reinstalled in the rebuilt church in 1961 by Noel Mander.
The Church Bells
St Matthew's Church has a set of eight bells. All of these bells were made in 1861, after the big fire, by George Mears at the famous Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
Protecting a Historic Building
The church building itself is considered very important. It is listed as Grade II*, which means it's a building of special interest. Its beautiful classical outside is a main reason for this high rating. The fences, walls, and gateposts around the churchyard are also listed as historic, as is the old watch house from 1826.
The Church Community: A Look at Its Past
For many years, the leaders of St Matthew's Church, called rectors, often lived far away and didn't visit the church much. The daily work was left to curates, who were not paid very well.
Important Rectors and Curates
One important rector was Septimus Hansard (1864–1895). He was a Christian Socialist and helped people during a cholera outbreak in 1866. He also introduced daily services and kept the sacrament (holy bread and wine) in the church.
During Hansard's time, a very notable curate named Stewart Headlam worked at St Matthew's (1873–1878). Headlam was also a Christian Socialist and started a group called the Guild of St Matthew in the parish. His strong socialist ideas meant he faced some challenges in his church career.
Another important rector was Arthur Winnington-Ingram (1895–1897), who later became the Bishop of London.
Serving the Community Through Challenges
Even after being bombed on the first night of the Blitz in World War II, the church continued to help its community. A temporary church was set up inside the damaged building.
In the 1990s, after a decision was made to allow women to become priests in the Church of England, the rector at the time, Christopher Bedford, decided to become a Catholic. For a while, both Catholic and Anglican services were held in the church. When he left, many church members followed him to the Catholic Church. Those who stayed worked hard to keep St Matthew's going.
The funerals of the Kray twins, who were famous figures in London, were both held at St Matthew's Church in 1995 and 2000.
The Churchyard: A Public Garden
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, stopped being used for burials in the 1850s. In 1896, a landscape gardener named Fanny Wilkinson turned it into a public garden. She removed most of the old tombs, leaving only two, including one belonging to Joseph Merceron.
Past Rectors of St Matthew's
- 1743-47 John Brookbank
- 1748-65 Edward Davenport
- 1766-1809 William Loxham
- 1809-61 Joshua King
- 1861-64 Timothy Gibson
- 1864-95 Septimus Cox Holmes Hansard
- 1895-97 Arthur Foley Winnington-Ingram (later Bishop of London)
- 1898-1901 Bernard R. Wilson
- 1901-16 H.V.S. Eck
- 1916-39 Sydney L. Sarel
- 1939-49 Francis W. Ferraro
- 1949-57 Alfred Arthur Gorbold
- 1958-68 Charles Geoffrey How
- 1968-74 Cyril Ashton Rowe
- 1974-79 Kenneth Leech
- 1981-96 Christopher John Charles Bedford
- 1997-2001 David Thomas Peebles, David Patent, Jon Scott (Priests-in-Charge)
- 2002-18 Kevin John Scully
- 2019–present Erin Marie Clark
