St Paul's Church, Clapham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church, Clapham |
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Three bay West End under pediment with plaque "1815 ST PAULS CHURCH" with lunette over
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| 51°28′08″N 0°08′25″W / 51.4689°N 0.1403°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ 29267 76074 |
| Location | Rectory Grove, Clapham, Greater London, SW4 0DX |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Inclusive Central |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 14 July 1955 |
| Architect(s) | Christopher Edmonds |
| Completed | 1815 |
| Construction cost | £5000 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | London stock brick, Slate roof |
| Bells | 1 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Clapham St Paul |
| Benefice | Clapham St Paul |
| Deanery | Lambeth North |
| Archdeaconry | Lambeth |
| Episcopal area | Kingston episcopal area |
| Diocese | Diocese of Southwark |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St Paul's Church is a Church of England parish church located in Clapham, London. There has been a church on this spot since the 1100s. The building you see today was finished in 1815. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historic place.
The church grounds have won a Green Flag Award. This award shows that the grounds are a well-managed and welcoming green space. Here, you can find old stone tombs and a special community garden called Eden. The current leader of the church is Revd Canon Jonathan Boardman.
Contents
A Look Back: St Paul's History
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The first church in Clapham was St Mary's Church, built in the 12th century. After a big change in the church called the Reformation, St Mary's was renamed Trinity Church.
In 1774, this old church was taken down. A new church, Holy Trinity Church, Clapham, was built nearby in 1775. A part of the old church, the north aisle, was kept for burials.
Building St Paul's
St Paul's Church was built in the early 1800s. It stands on the same spot where the older St Mary's/Trinity Church once stood. The building was completed in 1815. It was first used as a smaller church connected to Holy Trinity. In 1861, it became its own separate church district.
How the Church Was Built
The architect who designed St Paul's was Christopher Edmonds. He was from Newington, Surrey. The church was built using stock brick and has a low slate roof. Its style is called classical style, which means it uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
Originally, the church was a simple rectangular building. It had balconies inside at the back and sides. In 1875, the church was made bigger by Sir Arthur Blomfield. He added a transept, a chancel, and a half-round apse at the east end.
Today, St Paul's is a cruciform church, meaning it's shaped like a cross. It has a main entrance at the west end and a wide main area with side aisles. The parts added by Blomfield have round windows with special decorations. The side balconies were removed in 1928.
World War II Damage and Repair
During World War II, St Paul's Church was badly damaged. On May 10, 1941, bombs hit the roof. They caused a fire that damaged the chancel and sanctuary areas.
After the war, the church was fully repaired and redecorated. On July 14, 1955, it was officially named a grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building. In 1970, the church was changed inside again. The south transept is now a special area called the Lady chapel.
St Paul's Today
St Paul's Church follows the central tradition of the Church of England. It is part of the Archdeaconry of Lambeth and the Diocese of Southwark.
The Church Organ
The large pipe organ at St Paul's was built in 1886 by Forster and Andrews. It used to be in the south transept, where the Lady Chapel is now. In 2019, the organ was fully rebuilt by Andrew Cooper & Co. Ltd. to its original design.
Community Hub
In 1970, the East End part of the church, added by Blomfield, was turned into a community centre. This made the church building smaller, closer to its original size.
The community centre is home to a Montessori nursery school. Many groups use the centre, including a community choir. The church building is also used for performances. An opera company, a chamber music group, and Paul's Players (a theatre group) all use the space.
Churchyard and Gardens
The churchyard stopped being used for burials in 1854. Some Roundhead soldiers who died in the English Civil War are buried here. Most of the gravestones have been removed over time. However, in the 1920s, Revd TC Dale recorded all the gravestones and their messages.
The churchyard is now home to "Eden at St. Paul's." This is a popular community garden. It is one of the Lambeth's oldest sites to win the Green Flag Award.
Important Tombs
The churchyard contains tombs of notable families:
- The Hibbert family, including George (1792-1795), the first child of George Hibbert and Elizabeth Margaret Hibbert.
- The Atkins family, including Sir Richard Atkins, the 1st Baronet of Clapham.
Past Church Leaders
St Paul's has had several important vicars:
- Helen Cunliffe was the church's first female vicar from 1994 to 1995. She had been the deacon-in-charge since 1989. She later became Archdeacon of St Albans.
- Justine Allain Chapman served as vicar from 1997 to 2004. She later became Archdeacon of Boston.
- Deborah Matthews was the third female vicar in a row, serving from 2004 to 2017. She is now the vicar of the Parish of Verwood.
Special Memorials Inside
Inside the church, you can find memorials to many important people:
- The Atkins baronets, with a memorial likely made by William Stanton (mason).
- Bartholomew Clerke, who was the Lord of Clapham Manor.
- John Hatchard, a famous publisher and bookseller.
- William Hewer, with a large Baroque memorial. This memorial is thought to be by Francis Bird and looks like a famous sculpture in Rome.
- Martin Lister, who was a doctor to Queen Anne.
- Henry Thornton, a key member of a group called the Clapham Sect.
- Henry Venn (Clapham Sect).
- John Broadley Wilson (1764-1835), who was the Treasurer of the Baptist Missionary Society. His memorial was made by Francis Leggatt Chantrey.
Looking at History: Contested Heritage
In 2020, after the Black Lives Matter protests, Lambeth Council looked into places in Lambeth with links to the historic trans-Atlantic slave trade. Their review found that the memorial plaque to William Hewer and the Hibbert family tomb at St Paul's have proven connections to this history.
The current vicar of St Paul's is also a trustee of the Hibbert Almshouse Charity. This charity manages the Hibbert Almshouses, which are located within the church's parish area.
Images for kids
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The Atkins family tomb
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The Hibbert family tomb
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The Atkins memorial in the Lady Chapel
