St Matthew's, Bethnal Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Matthew, Bethnal Green |
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| Church of St Matthew, Bethnal Green | |
View of St Matthew Bethnal Green
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| 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 an old church built in the 1700s. It's part of the Church of England, which is a Christian church in England. This church is located in the busy area of Bethnal Green in London.
Contents
History of the Church Building
Building the Original Church
The church was built between 1743 and 1746. It was designed by George Dance the Elder in a style called Classical. This style often uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. The church has a tower in the middle of its west side.
Before Dance's design, another famous architect named Nicholas Hawksmoor had a plan for the church in 1711. However, his plan was never built.
Fires and Rebuilding
The church has faced damage and been rebuilt several times.
- In 1859, a big fire destroyed the inside of the church. Luckily, important church records and special items were saved.
- The church was rebuilt in 1861 by Thomas Knightley. A small dome, called a cupola, was added to the tower at this time.
- During World War II in 1940, the roof and inside of the church were destroyed by bombs.
- For a while, a temporary church was set up inside the damaged building in 1954.
- The church was rebuilt again from 1958 to 1961 by Anthony Lewis. The new inside of the church was described as "bold" and modern for its time.
Art and Features Inside
The rebuilt church has many beautiful artworks by famous artists from the 1900s:
- Peter Snow created panels showing the apostles in the Lady Chapel.
- Kim James made a bas-relief sculpture showing a battle between Heaven and Hell.
- Barry Robinson painted murals on the walls.
- Heather Child designed special sand-blasted glass doors.
- Robert Dawson created sculpted panels for the altar.
- Anthony Lewis designed a unique marble font.
- Donald Potter made ceramic Stations of the Cross, which are pictures showing events from Jesus's last day.
The church was officially opened again in 1961 by Henry Montgomery Campbell, who was the Bishop of London at the time.
Church Organs and Bells
The church has had several organs over the years:
- The first known organ was installed in 1772. It was rebuilt by Byfield and Green. This organ was destroyed in the 1859 fire.
- A new organ by Henry Jones was installed in 1861. This one was destroyed during the bombing in World War II.
- After the war, a temporary organ was used.
- In 1954, Noel Mander installed an organ from 1877 in the temporary church.
- This same organ was then moved and reinstalled in the rebuilt church in 1961.
The church also has eight bells. They were all made in 1861 by George Mears at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, after the 1859 fire.
Special Recognition
St Matthew's Church is a very important building. It is listed as Grade II*, which means it is a building of special historical or architectural interest. The outside of the church, with its classical design, is the main reason for this high rating. The railings, walls, and gateposts around the churchyard are also listed as Grade II. Even the old watch house, built in 1826, is listed.
History of the Parish
Early Rectors
For many years, the rectors (the main priests) of St Matthew's did not live in the parish. They often held other church jobs at the same time. For example, William Loxham was rector for 43 years but never visited the church. Day-to-day work was done by curates, who were assistant priests.
One rector, Joseph King (1809–1861), tried to fight against corruption in the parish. However, he later moved to a wealthier parish.
Important Rectors and Curates
- Septimus Hansard (rector, 1864–1895) was a Christian Socialist. This means he believed in applying Christian ideas to social problems. He helped people during a cholera outbreak in 1866. He also introduced daily services and kept the sacrament (a special religious item) in the church.
- Stewart Headlam was a curate (assistant priest) at St Matthew's from 1873 to 1878. He was also a Christian Socialist and started the Guild of St Matthew in the parish in 1877. His strong socialist views meant he was not offered a main priest job for a long time.
- Arthur Winnington-Ingram (rector, 1895–1897) later became the Bishop of London.
The Church During World War II and Beyond
Even after being bombed on the first night of the Blitz in World War II, the church continued to serve its community. A temporary church was set up inside the damaged building.
In the 1990s, after the Church of England decided to allow women to become priests, the rector at the time, Christopher Bedford, became a Catholic. For a while, he held both Catholic and Anglican services 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. Kevin Scully became the new long-term rector in 2002.
Churchyard
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, but two remain, including one belonging to Joseph Merceron.
Rectors
Until the mid-1800s, most rectors of St Matthew's came from Brasenose College, Oxford.
- 1743–1747 John Brookbank
- 1748–1765 Edward Davenport
- 1766–1809† William Loxham
- 1809–1861† Joshua King
- 1861–1864† Timothy Gibson
- 1864–1895† Septimus C. H. Hansard
- 1895–1897 Arthur Winnington-Ingram (subsequently Bishop of London)
- 1898–1901 Bernard R. Wilson
- 1901–1916 Herbert 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
