St Peter and St Paul, Dagenham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter and St Paul, Dagenham |
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| Dagenham Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul | |
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| Location | Church Lane, Dagenham, Greater London, RM10 9UL |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Churchmanship | Conservative Evangelical |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Saint Peter Saint Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish Church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed building |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Dagenham |
| Deanery | Deanery of Barking & Dagenham |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Barking |
| Episcopal area | Barking Episcopal Area |
| Diocese | Diocese of Chelmsford |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St. Peter and St. Paul is a historic Church of England church in Dagenham, England. It's often called Dagenham Parish Church. This church has been around for a long time, first built in the Middle Ages. Most of it was rebuilt in the early 1800s after a big accident.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's Story
The St. Peter and St. Paul church was first built in the early 1200s. It was constructed on land given by Barking Abbey, a very old monastery.
Building with Stone and History
The first church was made from a type of stone called Kentish ragstone. This stone was brought across the River Thames. A part of the church, the North Chapel, was added around 1475. Its arches show the building style popular in the late 1400s.
During a time called the Reformation, the church lost many of its valuable items. But with help from the Fanshawe family, the church was repaired and made stronger. You can still see a stone support added to the outside east wall from that time.
The Tower's Collapse and Rebuilding
By 1770, the church building was in bad shape. The tower's foundations were weak, causing problems for the rest of the church. Repairs were planned, but before they could happen, the tower fell down.
This happened on a Sunday morning in 1800. Luckily, the vicar was late with the keys, so everyone was waiting outside. If not, many people could have been hurt. The falling tower destroyed the main part of the church, called the nave, and the south aisle.
Only the chancel and North Chapel were left standing. The rest of the church had to be rebuilt. Workers reused old stones and added brown brick. The rebuilding finished by 1805. The new tower even had a spire, which was later removed.
The Architect's "Marvellous Nonsense"
The architect who designed the rebuilt church was William Mason. He carved his name proudly above the west door. A famous writer, Ian Nairn, once called Mason's style "Marvellous nonsense." He meant it was fun and creative, not too serious.
The Church Bells' Journey
In 1804, six bells were made for the new tower by Thomas Mears. The largest bell had a long list of names carved on it. These were the people who helped rebuild the church.
Years later, in 1933, the bells were remade and hung in a new wooden frame. Five years after that, two more bells were added. This made a full set of eight bells.
Changes Over the Years
- In 1841, a new gallery was added inside the church.
- An organ was installed in 1844, replacing the village orchestra.
- By 1877, the floor of the main part of the church was lowered by 15 inches. This is why the windows seem so high today.
- The organ was moved, and new wooden benches were put in.
- The church got a new roof in 1913, and the spire was taken down in 1921.
- In 1938, electricity replaced the gas lamps. The organ pipes were moved to the gallery and powered by electricity.
On June 28, 1954, St. Peter and St. Paul church was given a special status. It became a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's an important historic building.
The Church Today
St. Peter and St. Paul church is still very active today. People meet there every Sunday morning at 10:30 am. There are also different groups that meet during the week.
The church follows a specific tradition within the Church of England. It has decided not to have women as ordained priests. Instead, it receives guidance from the Bishop of Maidstone, currently Rod Thomas.
