St Paul's, Bow Common facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Bow Common |
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| Church of St Paul's Bow Common | |
Exterior view
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| Location | Corner of Burdett Road & St Paul's Way, Bow Common, Tower Hamlets, London |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Robert Maguire, Keith Murray |
| Style | new brutalism |
| Years built | 1958–60 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Paul's Bow Common is a special church building in Bow Common, London, England. It belongs to the Church of England and is part of the Diocese of London. You can find it where Burdett Road and St Paul's Way meet in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
The church you see today replaced an older one. The first church was built in 1858 but was mostly destroyed during the Second World War. It was then taken down in the 1950s to make way for the new building.
Contents
Building Design
The current church was built between 1958 and 1960. It is considered a very important building and is listed as Grade II*. This means it's a historic building that needs to be protected.
Who Designed It?
The architects who designed this unique church were Robert Maguire and Keith Murray. They worked closely with the local priest, Reverend Gresham Kirkby. He wanted the church to be designed in a way that made worship feel more connected and central for everyone.
Special Features and Artworks
When you enter the church, you'll see bold letters around the porch. They say, "Truly this is none other but the house of God. This is the Gate of Heaven." This message was designed by Ralph Beyer.
Inside, there is a huge mosaic artwork called Angels of the Heavenly Host. It covers about 800 square feet and was made by Charles Lutyens using tiny pieces of colored Murano glass. It's one of the biggest modern mosaic murals in Britain!
In 2004, an artist named Rose Finn-Kelcey created an art installation called Angel. It covered the church's front for several months. This artwork won an award for being great art in a religious place.
Awards and Importance
On November 7, 2013, St Paul's Bow Common won a special award. It was named the best Modern Church built in the UK since 1953 by the National Churches Trust.
The judges said the building showed new ideas about how Christian worship could be. They also called it a "hugely influential signpost" for how Anglican churches might be designed in the future.
Today's Church Community
After Reverend Gresham Kirkby, Reverend Prebendary Duncan Ross led the church until he retired in October 2013. The current vicar, or priest, is Mother Bernadette Hegarty.
St Paul's is part of a group of Anglican churches in the Bow area. This group includes Bow Church (St Mary and Holy Trinity), All Hallows, Bow, St Paul's, Old Ford, and St Barnabas Bethnal Green.
