St Paul's, Covent Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Paul's, Covent Garden |
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St Paul's at Covent Garden in June 2023
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| 51°30′41″N 0°7′27″W / 51.51139°N 0.12417°W | |
| Location | Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | High Church |
| Website | http://www.actorschurch.org/ |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Architect(s) | Inigo Jones |
| Years built | 1631–1633 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Paul's Church is a special Church of England parish church in Covent Garden, central London. It was designed by a famous architect named Inigo Jones in 1631. He was asked to create buildings for important people.
This church is often called "the actors' church." This is because it has a long history with the theatre community. Many actors and performers from London's West End have a connection to it.
St Paul's was finished in 1633. It was the first completely new church built in London since the Reformation. The Reformation was a time when the church in England changed a lot. People say Inigo Jones designed the church and the square around it. There's a fun story that Lord Bedford asked Jones to design a simple church, "not much better than a barn." Jones supposedly replied, "Then you shall have the handsomest barn in England!"
Jones's design was inspired by ancient Etruscan temples. These were early forms of Roman temples. The building looks like an old-fashioned, simple temple.
The front of the church, with its big portico (a porch with columns), isn't actually the main entrance. The altar is behind this wall. The real entrance is at the other end of the church. The stone on the front was added later. Originally, it was brick with a smooth plaster finish. The other sides of the building are still brick with stone details. The triangular parts at both ends are made of wood.
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History of St Paul's Church
In 1630, the 4th Earl of Bedford received permission to rebuild land he owned. This led to the creation of the Covent Garden Piazza. It was London's first planned public square. The new buildings had a classic style. A church was built at the west end, connected to two identical houses.
The church was finished in 1633. It cost the Bedford family about £4,886. But it wasn't officially opened until 1638. This was because of a disagreement. It stayed a small chapel until January 1646. Then, Covent Garden became its own separate area, and the church was named St. Paul's.
In 1789, the church had a big restoration. This means it was repaired and updated. Architect Thomas Hardwick led this work. Six years later, in September 1795, a fire accidentally burned out the church. It was started by workers on the roof. Luckily, the outer walls were still strong. The portico, however, had to be rebuilt. The church was restored again by Hardwick. It reopened on August 1, 1798. Even though the church was badly damaged, its old records and the beautiful pulpit (where sermons are given) were saved. The pulpit was made by Grinling Gibbons.
A Puritan minister named Thomas Manton preached at St Paul's. He left during the Great Ejection in 1662. Later, Simon Patrick, who became a bishop, served as rector here. He was the rector during the terrible Plague of 1665–1666. The first known victim of that plague, Margaret Ponteous, was buried in the churchyard on April 12, 1665.
Church Design and Features
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The east end of the church faces the piazza. It has a large stone front with a huge portico. This portico has a bold triangular top (pediment) supported by columns. There used to be three doors behind the portico. The middle one is still there, but it was built as a fake door. The altar is right behind it. The other two doors were blocked up in the 1800s.
The main entrance to the church is actually through the simpler west front. It has a pediment but no portico. In 1638, someone wrote that the altar was originally meant to be at the west end. But church leaders wanted it in the traditional east-facing position.
An old description from 1708 says the outside of the church was not bare brick. It was covered with a smooth plaster called stucco. In 1789, during a big renovation, it was decided to cover the walls with Portland stone. The tiled roof was replaced with slate. Windows added in the 1640s were removed. The archways next to the church, which were brick, were replaced with stone copies. When the stone covering was removed in 1888, it was found to be very thin. The building was then covered in the red brick you see today.
There used to be many steps leading up to the portico. But over the years, the ground level of the Piazza slowly rose. By 1887, there were no steps visible. The arches on the sides of the portico were made wider and taller during a restoration from 1878 to 1882. The bell tower over the western pediment was also removed.
Inside, the church is one large open space. It doesn't have columns dividing it. The eastern part was originally a bit higher. It was raised even more in 1871–72. The church was built without balconies, but they were soon added on three sides. Today, only the western balcony remains.
Next to the portico, there were two fancy gateways to the churchyard. These were removed and then replaced, keeping the "Tuscan" style. Old pictures show small structures on the roof, some holding bells. Now, the roof is bare. Two bells can be seen in openings high on the western wall.
The portico of St Paul's was a big inspiration for other buildings. For example, Roger Morris (1695–1749) used it when designing the stable block for Althorp House in the 1730s.
Theatrical Connections
St Paul's Church has been linked to theatre since 1663. That's when the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane was built nearby. The connection grew stronger in 1723 with the opening of Covent Garden Theatre, which is now the Royal Opera House.
On May 9, 1662, Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary about the first "Italian puppet play" under the church's portico. This was the first recorded performance of "Punch and Judy" in England! This event is celebrated every May with an annual MayFayre service.
The portico of St Paul's was also the setting for the first scene of Shaw's famous play Pygmalion. This play was later turned into the musical My Fair Lady. Since 2007, St Paul's has had its own professional theatre company called Iris Theatre. They put on plays right there at the church.
Famous People and Memorials
The famous artist J. M. W. Turner and the writer Sir William S. Gilbert (who wrote the Gilbert and Sullivan operas) were both baptized at St Paul's.
Samuel Butler, a poet, was buried at St Paul's. His grave was never marked. A monument to him was later placed in Westminster Abbey.
Many other famous people are buried at St Paul's, Covent Garden. These include the wood-carver Grinling Gibbons, painters Thomas Murray, Sir Peter Lely, and Thomas Girtin. Also, Thomas Arne, who wrote the song "Rule Britannia," and Sir Henry Herbert, who was a theatre censor for kings. A special plaque in the church remembers Charles Macklin, a great Shakespearean actor. The ashes of famous actresses Dames Ellen Terry and Edith Evans also rest here.
The church has memorials dedicated to many well-known entertainment stars of the 20th century. These include Sir Charlie Chaplin, Sir Noël Coward, Dame Gracie Fields, Stanley Holloway, Boris Karloff, Vivien Leigh, Ivor Novello, Richard Greene, Diana Rigg, and Richard Beckinsale. There is also a memorial plaque for music hall star Bransby Williams. The church is surrounded by a beautiful garden that used to be a graveyard. Burials stopped there in 1852.
Notable Events and Music
In the 1980s, the area right outside the church was used for performances. The Greater London Council, which managed the Covent Garden Piazza, liked to showcase bands there. On April 1, 1984, the first samba school in Britain, the London School of Samba (LSS), performed its first public concert here. Their second concert was also outside the church. The LSS was formed in 1984 and helped bring samba music to the United Kingdom. Later that year, the LSS was the first samba school to parade in the Notting Hill Carnival.
John Whitworth, a professor at the Guildhall School of Music, was the church's organist from 1965 to 1971.
Covent Garden Sinfonia
Covent Garden Sinfonia is a professional chamber orchestra. It used to be called the Orchestra of St Paul's until 2017. This orchestra performs regularly at the Actors' Church. They also play concerts all over the UK. They often visit places like the Southbank Centre and Cadogan Hall. The orchestra changes in size depending on the project. It can be a small group or a full symphony orchestra with 70 or more musicians. Ben Palmer is the orchestra's Artistic Director.
Images for kids
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Map of Covent Garden, from a drawing of c. 1690
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Statue of the Conversion of St Paul was sculpted by Bruce Denny and was unveiled by Dame Judi Dench
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The pulpit was the work of Grinling Gibbons
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The font
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The ashes of Dame Ellen Terry
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Memorial Plaque to composer Thomas Arne
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Memorial Plaque to Charlie Chaplin
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Plaque to the side of St Paul's Lightwell
See also
- List of churches and cathedrals of London
- Crown Court Church – located nearby
- Saint Malachy's Roman Catholic Church, New York City, also known as the Actors' Church
- St. Lawrence's Church, Mereworth – partly modelled on this church.
