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 Church of England church in Camden Town, London. It's a beautiful building designed by George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner. They built it in the late 1800s in a style called Gothic Revival, which looks like old medieval 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. The first church services, called Mass, were held at 5A Camden Road. This building is now a betting shop. In 2002, a special service was held there to celebrate the church's 125th anniversary. The church was named St Michael's to remember an older church, St Michael Queenhithe, which was taken down in 1876. The money from that old church helped start the Camden mission.

Building the Church

The current church building was the first one in London designed by Bodley and Garner. It is made of brick with stone details. The style is called "decorated Gothic," which means it has fancy designs. The main part of the church, called the nave, was started in 1880. It was officially opened by Bishop Walsham How on September 29, 1881.

The chancel (the area around the altar) and a 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. There were plans for a tower on the northwest side, but it was never built. The front of the church was repaired in 2005. A new roof was finished in August 2007. Next to the church, there is a small community garden with a War Memorial.

Inside the Church

The inside of St Michael's has a special ceiling that looks like a wagon. It covers both the nave and the chancel. The main altar has a decorated screen behind it, called a reredos. It shows Jesus rising from the dead. Seven lamps hang above the altar. There is also a special seat for three people, called a Sedilia, on the south wall.

The north chapel has a stone ceiling with ribs, and a special place called an Easter Sepulchre. In the south aisle, you can find the organ and a small chapel. There is also a scene of Calvary and a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Walsingham. Around the main part of the church, there are fourteen Stations of the Cross. At the back of the church, there is a font with a detailed cover from the 1800s.

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

Changes Over Time

In 1954, St Michael's parish grew bigger. It took in the areas of 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 taken down because of damage from the war. From 2003 to 2023, St Michael's was part of 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 parishes again.

Community Work and Leaders

Helping the Community

St Michael's Church is very active in helping people in the area. It works with homeless people and refugees. The church often speaks out about local social issues. 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 dedicated new rooms for the parish.

Church Leaders

In March 2008, Father Nicholas Wheeler, who had been the priest since 1996, left to work in Rio de Janeiro. He was replaced by Philip North, who had worked at Walsingham. Philip North left at the end of 2014 to become the Bishop of Burnley. Father Thomas Plant then became the new priest.

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

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