St Stephen's Church, Shepherd's Bush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Stephen and St Thomas |
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Church of St Stephen and St Thomas, Shepherd's Bush
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| Location | Uxbridge Road, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Stephen St Thomas |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Anthony Salvin |
| Style | Victorian Gothic |
| Years built | 1849-50 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Stephen with St Thomas Shepherds Bush |
| Diocese | London |
The Church of St Stephen and St Thomas is a Church of England church in Shepherd's Bush, London. It was built around 1849–50. The church was designed by architect Anthony Salvin in the Gothic Revival style. Today, it is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historic place. You can find it on Uxbridge Road, near Shepherd's Bush tube station.
In the 1950s, St Stephen's welcomed many people from the West Indies. These newcomers are often called the "Windrush Generation". In 1962, Reverend Wilfred Wood, who was from Barbados, became a curate (a type of assistant priest) at St Stephen's. He later became the first black bishop in the Church of England. In 1966, the vicar John Asbridge started the Shepherds Bush Housing Association to help people find homes. Today, St Stephen's serves a diverse community. It also provides hot meals for homeless people every Monday. The church needs repairs, especially to its roof, and is raising money to fix it.
Contents
History of St Stephen's Church
How the Church Began
The Church of St Stephen was built between 1849 and 1850. It was designed by the architect Anthony Salvin. He built it in the Gothic Revival style, which copied old medieval church designs. The church also had a tall tower.
A lot of the money for building the church came from Bishop Blomfield. Part of the land for the church was given by James Gomme. There is a special stained-glass window that remembers him.
St Stephen's was one of the "Commissioners' churches". These were Anglican churches built with money from the government. This happened after the Church Building Act of 1818. The government helped pay for new churches because many towns were growing fast.
The church was built using Kentish Ragstone and Bath stone. It had beautiful stained-glass windows made by William Wailes. These windows were given by church leaders and other people who wanted to help.
The church was officially opened in 1850. All the area north of Goldhawk Road became its parish. But by 1870, Shepherd's Bush had grown so much that the church was already too crowded.
In 1850, William Cooke became the first priest in charge of St Stephen's. He was a writer of hymns and a translator.
World Wars and Their Impact
During World War I, 91 people from St Stephen's church community died. Their names are written on a war memorial inside the church. Some of them were honored for their bravery. These included Charles Carey, L. W. Moberley, and Captain Charles George Douglas Napier. Napier was a flying ace, meaning he shot down many enemy planes.
Around 1940 or 1941, during World War II, the church was hit by bombs. The spire was badly damaged and could not be fixed. The original stained-glass windows on the north side of the church were also destroyed. This included the large windows at the east and west ends.
After the Wars: A Welcoming Church
In 1949, work began to fix the damaged spire. But it was too broken to save. So, it was taken down and replaced with the copper spire you see today.
In 1950, the church celebrated its 100th birthday. There was a big celebration and a dinner. The Bishop of London, William Wand, attended.
In the 1950s, many people from the West Indies came to live in Shepherd's Bush. St Stephen's became known as a church that welcomed these new families, often called the Windrush Generation. In 1962, Wilfred Wood from Barbados became a curate at St Stephen's. He worked hard for racial fairness. In 1985, he became the first black bishop in the Church of England. His work still influences the church today.
In 1958, the church's pipe organ was moved from another church. It was originally made in 1888 by Henry Willis & Sons. It was fixed up by N. P. Mander Ltd.
In 1960, St Stephen's church joined with St Thomas's church. This created the new parish of St Stephen's and St Thomas.
The church has a memorial for PC David Wombwell. He was a police officer who was killed in 1966 in what became known as the Shepherd's Bush murders.
Helping the Community: Housing Association
In 1966, the Reverend John Asbridge, who was the vicar of St Stephen's, started the Shepherds Bush Housing Association. He wanted to help poor people in the area find homes. The church's choir room was used as an office. Volunteers from the church helped run it. Some church members even gave their own houses to the association to help homeless people. Their first project was fixing up an old house into flats. Reverend Asbridge led the association for 20 years. Today, the Shepherd's Bush Housing Association manages over 5,000 homes.
In 1970, the church became a Listed Building. This means it is protected for its historical importance.
St Stephen's Today
Today, St Stephen's church continues to help the community. Services are held on Sundays at 10 AM. There is also an evening prayer service on the first Sunday of each month. On Thursdays, there is a Christian meditation session.
Historic England has listed St Stephen's in its "Heritage at Risk" category. This is because the roof and drainage pipes are in poor condition, letting water leak in. St Stephen's has started an appeal to raise £200,000 to fix these problems.
St Stephen's School
St Stephen's church works closely with the nearby primary school, St Stephen's School (Shepherd's Bush). In 2008, Ofsted (the UK's school inspection body) said it was a "good school". In June 2011, Ofsted rated St Stephen's as "outstanding".
Images for kids
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1888 pipe organ by Henry Willis & Sons
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PC David Wombwell memorial plaque
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Victorian-era stained glass in West window
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South window dedicated to the memory of Julia Ratliffe, who died on 26 September 1870
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Stained-glass window in memory of James Gomme, benefactor, died 2 January 1855
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Stained glass in South aisle dedicated to Arthur Haggit, died 3 November 1852
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Stained glass in South aisle, 1856
See also
