St Michael's Church, Camden Town facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Michael's Church, Camden Town
Parish Church of Camden Town
West end of St Michael's.
Location	Camden Road, London NW 1.
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholic
Website	http://www.posp.co.uk/st-michaels/
History
Founded	1877
Founder(s)	Fr E.B Penfold
Dedicated	29.9.1881
Architecture
Architect(s)	Bodley and Garner
Style	Neo-Gothic
Years built	1880-1894
Administration
Parish	Old St Pancras
Deanery	South Camden
Archdeaconry	Hampstead
Episcopal area	Edmonton
Diocese	London

St Michael's Church is an important Anglican church in Camden Town, north London. The church building you see today was built in the late 1800s. It was designed by architects George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner in a style called Gothic Revival, which means it looks like old Gothic churches.

History of St Michael's Church

How the Church Started

St Michael's Church began in 1877. It started as a new church project led by Father Edward Bainbridge Penfold. At first, the church members met for their services, called Mass, at a building on Camden Road. This building was just a few doors away from where the church stands now. Today, that original meeting place is a betting shop. In 2002, a special service was held there to celebrate the church's 125th birthday. The church was named St Michael's to remember an older church, St Michael Queenhithe, which was taken down in 1876. The money from selling that old church helped fund the new mission in Camden.

Building the Church

The current St Michael's Church was the first church in London designed by Bodley and Garner. It is made of brick with stone decorations. The main part of the church, called the nave, was started in 1880. It was officially opened by Bishop Walsham How on Michaelmas (September 29th) in 1881.

The chancel (the area around the altar) and the north chapel were added later, between 1892 and 1894. These parts were officially opened by William Temple, who was then the Bishop of London. He later became the Archbishop of Canterbury, a very important leader in the Church of England. There were plans to build a tower on the northwest side, but it was never built. The front of the church was repaired in 2005, and a new roof was finished in 2007. Next to the church, there is a small community garden with a memorial for soldiers.

Inside the Church

The inside of St Michael's Church is very special. It has a continuous, painted ceiling that looks like the inside of a wagon. This ceiling covers both the nave and the chancel. The main altar in the chancel has a painted screen behind it, called a reredos. This screen shows a picture of the Risen Christ. Seven lamps hang above the altar. There is also a special seat for three people, called a Sedilia, in the south wall of the Sanctuary.

The north chapel has a stone ceiling with ribs, and a special area called an Easter Sepulchre. In the south aisle, you can find the organ and a small chapel at the east end. There is also a Calvary Scene (showing Jesus on the cross) and a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Walsingham. Around the nave, there are fourteen Stations of the Cross, which are pictures or sculptures showing events from Jesus's last day. At the west end of the church, there is a Font used for baptisms, with a detailed cover from the 1800s.

Since 2015, the church has displayed a modern art piece behind the font. This artwork, called 'HS', was created by Maciej Urbanek from the Royal Academy of Arts. It shows a unique and abstract idea of the Holy Spirit coming down as beams of light. This artwork won an award in 2015 for art in a religious setting. The church itself is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is a very important historical building, especially because of its beautiful interior.

Changes Over Time

In 1954, St Michael's Church took over the areas of two other churches: All Saints, Camden Town and St. Thomas, Agar Town. The All Saints church had become a Greek Orthodox church in 1948. The St. Thomas church building was damaged in the war and later taken down. From 2003 to 2023, St Michael's was part of a group of churches called the St Pancras Team Ministry. This group included St Pancras Old Church, St Mary's Church, Somers Town, and St Paul's Church, Camden Square. Now, all four churches are independent again.

Church Activities and Community Work

St Michael's Church is very active in helping people in its local area. It works with people who are homeless and with refugees. The church often speaks out about important social issues in the community. It was even featured in a BBC TV series called The Power and the Glory.

The church also hosted the launch of a report called 'Faithful Cities'. During this event, John Sentamu, Archbishop of York and Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury (two very important leaders in the Church of England) officially opened the new parish rooms next to the church.

In March 2008, the priest, Father Nicholas Wheeler, left St Michael's to become a priest in Rio de Janeiro. He was replaced by Philip North, who had previously worked at Walsingham. Philip North left at the end of 2014 to become the Bishop of Burnley. After him, Father Thomas Plant became the priest.

The church also has a close connection with St Michael's Church of England Primary School.

Images for kids

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  A beautiful stained glass window inside the church.

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  The pulpit, where sermons are given.

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  The reredos behind the main altar.

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  A statue inside the church.

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  View of the east end of the church.

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  A wider view of the church interior.

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  Another view of the church's interior.