fbpx
Wikipedia

St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe

St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe, is the local Church of England parish church in Rotherhithe, formerly in Surrey and now part of south east London. The parish is now within the diocese of Southwark and under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Fulham. The 18th-century church is in St Marychurch Street and is dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, and it is particularly proud of its connections with the Pilgrim Fathers. It remains a living and working church, supported by local people and serving a broad community.

St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe
Tower of St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe
51°30′05″N 0°03′14″W / 51.50140697108517°N 0.05393947155653123°W / 51.50140697108517; -0.05393947155653123
LocationRotherhithe, London
CountryUnited Kingdom
DenominationChurch of England
ChurchmanshipAnglo-Catholic
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II*
Clergy
Bishop(s)The Rt Revd Jonathan Baker (AEO)
RectorFr Mark Nicholls SSC
Laity
Churchwarden(s)Alan White and Bill Griffiths

History edit

There is documentary evidence that a church has existed on this site since at least 1282. However, Roman bricks were found when the tower was underpinned in 1913, so it is probable that there were even earlier buildings on the site.

The area was eventually served by Catholic priests from Bermondsey Abbey. Following the break with Rome under Henry VIII in 1538, the vestments, silver and gold plate and other gifts of the cathedral were sold to provide money to repair the mediaeval church.

Some remains of the mediaeval building can still be seen, for example the stone blocks incorporated into the walls on each side of the organ. In the crypt, parts of the old church walls of chalk and flint are visible, and some later Tudor brickwork. A drawing made of this building in 1623 has survived. Although the artist had difficulty representing the perspective of the old church, this drawing is the only remaining evidence of its appearance. A few memorials from the old church have survived.

In 1710, the parishioners of St Mary's petitioned parliament for a grant to rebuild their church 'which standing very low and near the banks of the Thames, is often overflowed, whereby the foundation of the church and tower is rotted and in great danger of falling'. The petition was not successful but the parishioners went on to collect subscriptions and the local craftsmen, of which there were many, turned their hands and feet to church building.

It was rebuilt in 1714–15, to a design by John James, a major architect of his day (and an associate of Sir Christopher Wren). As money was short, the tower (above right) was not finished until 1747, when Lancelot Dowbiggin, a City joiner and surveyor, completed it, perhaps to his own design, following the general plan of James.

Since then, the external appearance of the church has remained almost unchanged. It is set in a narrow street close to the Thames, surrounded by former warehouses and facing the charity school house which was built in 1703.

In 1760, Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton wed his second wife, Anne, here. The two had journeyed far from home to evade ecclesiastical difficulties; she was his first wife's sister, and the marriage was forbidden by canon law, but not void if no one objected when the banns were read.

In 1838, when the well-known ship Temeraire was broken up, some of her timbers were used to build a communion table and two bishop's chairs in the Rotherhithe church.

The interior of the church was much altered in 1876.

Between 1996 and 1999, the bells were restored and re-hung, and essential repairs made to the spire. The bells are regularly rung by members of the Docklands Ringing Centre.

Present day edit

St Mary's Church is within the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England. As the parish rejects the ordination of women, it receives alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Fulham (currently Jonathan Baker).[1]

The organ edit

St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe is fortunate to possess a fine pipe-organ dating from 1764 installed by the organ builder John Byfield II.

Despite several alterations in the intervening years the present-day instrument retains much of its original character and its magnificent organ case.

A history of the instrument can be found at https://alanjohnphillips.weebly.com/rotherhithe.html#history

Maritime connections edit

As befits a church near the merchant activity on the river, there are several maritime connections. The communion table in the Lady Chapel and two bishop's chairs are made from salvaged timber from the warship HMS Temeraire. The ship's final journey to the breaker's yard at Deptford was made famous by Turner in his evocative painting The Fighting Temeraire, now in the National Gallery.

In the church a memorial marks the final resting place of Christopher Jones, captain of the Mayflower, which took the Pilgrim Fathers to North America in 1620.

It is also the burial place of Prince Lee Boo of Palau, a Pacific Island prince,[2] and Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Teddeman (c.1620–1668).

Nearby are some of London's Nordic churches and missions to seafarers.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "St Mary, Rotherhithe". The See of Fulham. Bishop of Fulham. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Prince Lee Boo's tomb : London Remembers, Aiming to capture all memorials in London". Retrieved 27 March 2014.

Further reading edit

  • Howard Colvin, Biographical Dictionary of British Architects
  • Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry for "Teddeman, Sir Thomas".
  • Austin Niland 'The Organ at St Mary's, Rotherhithe', published by the Positif Press, 1983, ISBN 0906894115.
  • The London Organ Day souvenir programme, Saturday 11 May 1996.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • The Interesting History of Prince Lee Boo, brought to England from the Pelew Islands From the Collections at the Library of Congress

mary, church, rotherhithe, local, church, england, parish, church, rotherhithe, formerly, surrey, part, south, east, london, parish, within, diocese, southwark, under, jurisdiction, bishop, fulham, 18th, century, church, marychurch, street, dedicated, mary, mo. St Mary s Church Rotherhithe is the local Church of England parish church in Rotherhithe formerly in Surrey and now part of south east London The parish is now within the diocese of Southwark and under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Fulham The 18th century church is in St Marychurch Street and is dedicated to Mary mother of Jesus and it is particularly proud of its connections with the Pilgrim Fathers It remains a living and working church supported by local people and serving a broad community St Mary s Church RotherhitheTower of St Mary s Church Rotherhithe51 30 05 N 0 03 14 W 51 50140697108517 N 0 05393947155653123 W 51 50140697108517 0 05393947155653123LocationRotherhithe LondonCountryUnited KingdomDenominationChurch of EnglandChurchmanshipAnglo CatholicArchitectureHeritage designationGrade II ClergyBishop s The Rt Revd Jonathan Baker AEO RectorFr Mark Nicholls SSCLaityChurchwarden s Alan White and Bill Griffiths Contents 1 History 1 1 Present day 2 The organ 3 Maritime connections 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editThere is documentary evidence that a church has existed on this site since at least 1282 However Roman bricks were found when the tower was underpinned in 1913 so it is probable that there were even earlier buildings on the site The area was eventually served by Catholic priests from Bermondsey Abbey Following the break with Rome under Henry VIII in 1538 the vestments silver and gold plate and other gifts of the cathedral were sold to provide money to repair the mediaeval church Some remains of the mediaeval building can still be seen for example the stone blocks incorporated into the walls on each side of the organ In the crypt parts of the old church walls of chalk and flint are visible and some later Tudor brickwork A drawing made of this building in 1623 has survived Although the artist had difficulty representing the perspective of the old church this drawing is the only remaining evidence of its appearance A few memorials from the old church have survived In 1710 the parishioners of St Mary s petitioned parliament for a grant to rebuild their church which standing very low and near the banks of the Thames is often overflowed whereby the foundation of the church and tower is rotted and in great danger of falling The petition was not successful but the parishioners went on to collect subscriptions and the local craftsmen of which there were many turned their hands and feet to church building It was rebuilt in 1714 15 to a design by John James a major architect of his day and an associate of Sir Christopher Wren As money was short the tower above right was not finished until 1747 when Lancelot Dowbiggin a City joiner and surveyor completed it perhaps to his own design following the general plan of James Since then the external appearance of the church has remained almost unchanged It is set in a narrow street close to the Thames surrounded by former warehouses and facing the charity school house which was built in 1703 In 1760 Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton wed his second wife Anne here The two had journeyed far from home to evade ecclesiastical difficulties she was his first wife s sister and the marriage was forbidden by canon law but not void if no one objected when the banns were read In 1838 when the well known ship Temeraire was broken up some of her timbers were used to build a communion table and two bishop s chairs in the Rotherhithe church The interior of the church was much altered in 1876 Between 1996 and 1999 the bells were restored and re hung and essential repairs made to the spire The bells are regularly rung by members of the Docklands Ringing Centre Present day edit St Mary s Church is within the Anglo Catholic tradition of the Church of England As the parish rejects the ordination of women it receives alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Fulham currently Jonathan Baker 1 The organ editSt Mary s Church Rotherhithe is fortunate to possess a fine pipe organ dating from 1764 installed by the organ builder John Byfield II Despite several alterations in the intervening years the present day instrument retains much of its original character and its magnificent organ case A history of the instrument can be found at https alanjohnphillips weebly com rotherhithe html historyMaritime connections editAs befits a church near the merchant activity on the river there are several maritime connections The communion table in the Lady Chapel and two bishop s chairs are made from salvaged timber from the warship HMS Temeraire The ship s final journey to the breaker s yard at Deptford was made famous by Turner in his evocative painting The Fighting Temeraire now in the National Gallery In the church a memorial marks the final resting place of Christopher Jones captain of the Mayflower which took the Pilgrim Fathers to North America in 1620 It is also the burial place of Prince Lee Boo of Palau a Pacific Island prince 2 and Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Teddeman c 1620 1668 Nearby are some of London s Nordic churches and missions to seafarers See also edit nbsp Christianity portal nbsp London portal List of churches and cathedrals of LondonReferences edit St Mary Rotherhithe The See of Fulham Bishop of Fulham Retrieved 27 January 2017 Prince Lee Boo s tomb London Remembers Aiming to capture all memorials in London Retrieved 27 March 2014 Further reading editHoward Colvin Biographical Dictionary of British Architects Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry for Teddeman Sir Thomas Austin Niland The Organ at St Mary s Rotherhithe published by the Positif Press 1983 ISBN 0906894115 The London Organ Day souvenir programme Saturday 11 May 1996 External links editOfficial website History of St Mary s Diocese of Southwark The Interesting History of Prince Lee Boo brought to England from the Pelew Islands From the Collections at the Library of Congress nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Mary s Church Rotherhithe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Mary 27s Church Rotherhithe amp oldid 1185025019, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.