St Stephen's Church, Rosslyn Hill facts for kids
St. Stephen's is an old church building located in Hampstead, London. It sits on Rosslyn Hill where it meets Pond Street. This spot is on a steep hill, right next to the Royal Free Hospital. When it was busiest, the church could hold up to 1,200 people.
Contents
The Church's Story
Building a "Mighty Church"
The church was designed in the Neo Gothic style. This means it looked like old Gothic churches, but was built more recently. The architect was Samuel Sanders Teulon. He designed 114 churches, and he thought St. Stephen's was his best work. He even called it his "mighty church." It was also the most expensive church he ever built.
In 1864, Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, who owned the land in Hampstead, offered a spot for a new church. Samuel Sanders Teulon then agreed to design it. People started raising money for the church from 1864 to 1867. They thought it would cost about £7,500, but it ended up costing £27,000!
Art and Construction
The outside of the church has many beautiful sculptures. These were made by an artist named Thomas Earp. Inside, some colorful mosaics are still there. These mosaics were created by a company called Salviati.
Building work began in January 1869. The first stone was placed in May of that year. The church was officially opened by John Jackson, who was the Bishop of London, on December 31, 1869. It was fully finished by 1870. However, because it was built on a hill, the ground often shifted. This caused the building to sink a little over time.
Famous Connections
Over the years, some notable people had connections to St. Stephen's. In 1907, the famous performer and composer Marie Lloyd Jr. got married there. Later, in 1932, Margaret Nevinson was buried at the church. She was a Christian who fought for women's right to vote and was a pioneer for women.
Challenges and Restoration
By the late 1960s, people started worrying about the church's structure. It was becoming very expensive to keep it in good repair. Also, fewer people were attending services. Because of these reasons, the church closed for worship in 1977.
In 1974, the building was given a special status. It became a Grade I listed building. This meant it was very important historically and could not be torn down. This saved it from being turned into a hospital car park or apartments. However, the building slowly started to fall apart. People without homes sometimes moved in, and it took a long time to decide what to do with it.
Finally, in 1999, a group called the St Stephen's Restoration and Preservation Trust took over the church. They worked hard to raise money. They got over £4 million from organizations like English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Local businesses and individuals also helped. With this money, the church was fixed up in three stages. It is now in a usable condition again.
