St Peter's Church, Hammersmith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Hammersmith |
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| The Parish Church of Saint Peter | |
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| Location | Black Lion Lane, Hammersmith, London, W6 9BE |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | Official website: http://www.stpetersw6.org/index.html |
| History | |
| Dedication | Peter the Apostle |
| Consecrated | 15 October 1829 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Hammersmith and Fulham |
| Archdeaconry | Middlesex |
| Diocese | London |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's Church, Hammersmith is a historic Church of England church. It is the oldest church in Hammersmith. The building is listed as Grade II*, which means it is a very important historical site.
History of St Peter's Church
When St Peter's Church was built in 1829, Hammersmith was a small village. The area around the church was mostly open fields and farms. Hammersmith grew bigger and richer over time. This was because it was close to the River Thames, which was important for trade.
The land for the church was given by George Scott. He was born in 1780 to a rich family in Hammersmith. In 1807, he married Hannah Lucy Stoe. She also came from a wealthy local family. She brought land near Black Lion Lane, where the church now stands. George Scott was a respected local leader. He helped many people in Hammersmith.
Other people also gave money to build the church. The Bishop of London, Doctor Horsley, gave £250. The local Rector, Revd William Wood, gave £500.
St Peter's is a "Commissioners' church." This means it got money from a special fund to help build new churches. The church cost £12,099 to build. The fund paid £9,099 of this cost. The first stone was laid on May 16, 1827. The church was officially opened on October 15, 1829.
About the Church Building
The church was designed by Edward Lapidge. He was born in 1793 in Hampton Wick. His father was a landscape gardener. He worked at Hampton Court with the famous Capability Brown.
Edward Lapidge was a well-known architect. He designed several churches. These include Hampton Wick Church and St Mary's Church in Putney. He also designed Reigate Police Station. He showed his designs at the Royal Academy many times. He died in 1860.
The church is built in a classical style. It uses Ionic order columns. The building is made of brick with some stone parts. At the front, there is a large porch with four stone columns. The tower is made of stone and has eight sides.
Inside, the church has open spaces. It does not have separate aisles like some older churches. There are balconies on three sides. These balconies are supported by Doric columns. The church was designed to hold 1,691 people. Many of these seats were free for anyone to use.
The church has a special carved eagle lectern. This is a stand where the Bible is read. It was given in 1878 by Major C.E.A. Cotes. He gave it in memory of his nephew, who used to work at the church.
In 1887, the inside of the church was redecorated. This was done with advice from William Morris. He was a famous artist and designer who lived nearby. At the same time, the old, tall church benches were replaced with newer ones.
The stone font is used for baptisms. It was moved from the back of the church. Now it is in the middle, near the south side.
The newest decorations are the murals on the east wall. These were painted in 1932. They show Saint Peter being called by Jesus Christ. They also show Peter preaching in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
When it was first built, St Peter's Church had one bell. It was made in 1828. In 1916, four more bells were added. This made a set of five bells.
In 1957, a new road called the Great West Road was built. The church lost some of its land because of this. Many graves had to be moved to St Paul's Church. Today, only a few old headstones remain around St Peter's. Their writing is too old to read.
St Peter's Church has a special connection. It is linked to St Bartholomew's Cathedral Church in Messumba, Mozambique.
See also
