St Michael and All Angels Church, Gidea Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael and All Angels Church, Gidea Park |
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| 51°35′14.316″N 0°12′5.9148″E / 51.58731000°N 0.201643000°E | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://stmichaelsgideapark.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedicated | 21 May 1938 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Crowe and Careless |
| Years built | 1931-1938 |
| Completed | 1938 |
St Michael and All Angels Church is a special church located in Gidea Park, a part of Romford in east London. It's a Church of England church, which means it's part of the main Christian church in England. This church has an interesting history, showing how communities grow and build places for people to gather.
A New Church for Gidea Park
Back in the 1910s, the Gidea Park area started to become a 'garden suburb'. This means it was a planned neighborhood with lots of green spaces and nice homes. As more families moved in, they needed a local church.
From Mission to Parish
First, a smaller church was built in 1928. It was called a 'mission church' because it was like a branch of a bigger church nearby, called All Saints Squirrels Heath. This smaller church was dedicated to St Michael.
As Gidea Park grew, it became its own 'ecclesiastical district' in 1931. This meant it was a special area for church purposes. Because the community was growing, they decided to build a bigger, main church.
Building the Main Church
The job of designing the new church was given to architects named Crowe and Careless. They worked hard to create a beautiful and welcoming space for the community. The building was finished and officially opened on May 21, 1938.
When the new church was ready, the 'ecclesiastical district' of Gidea Park was upgraded to a full 'parish'. This meant it became a complete church community with its own dedicated church building. The older mission church building was then changed into a hall, which is now known as the Bishop Chadwick Hall.
