St Michael's Church, Camden Town
St Michael's Church, Camden Town | |
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Parish Church of Camden Town | |
CBE ,
Abby Oshodi |
St Michael's Church is the principal
History
Saint Michael's began as a church planting mission in 1877 under the direction of Father Edward Bainbridge Penfold. The congregation first met for Mass at 5A Camden Road, a few doors away from the current church in a building which now houses a betting shop. A service was celebrated in the shop to begin the celebrations for the parish's 125th anniversary in 2002.[1][2] The church was named in remembrance of the church of St Michael Queenhithe, demolished in 1876 to fund the Camden mission.
The present building was the first London church designed by Bodley and Garner and is built of brick with stone dressings in the decorated Gothic style. The nave, begun in 1880, was consecrated by Bishop Walsham How on Michaelmas 1881. The chancel and the north chapel were added between 1892 and 1894 and consecrated by William Temple Bishop of London, later Archbishop of Canterbury. A north west tower was planned but never built. The west front was restored in 2005 and a new roof was completed in August 2007. There is a small community garden next to the church with a War Memorial.
The interior has a continuous, stenciled waggon ceiling covering both nave and chancel. The high altar in the chancel is surmounted by a stenciled
In 1954 the parish of St Michael's subsumed those of
Parish work
It has an active ministry to the homeless and refugees in the area, and regularly speaks out on local social issues.
The church is linked to St Michael's Church of England Primary School.[11]
Gallery
Notes
- ^ "Vicar is an early favourite". BBC News. 8 February 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Holy orders for bookie's shop". BBC News. 24 February 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Maciej Urbanek: HS".
- ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1244156)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 January 2009.
- ^ Camden New Journal Archived 11 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Power and the Glory homepage
- ^ "Church anger over asylum poverty". BBC News. 22 May 2006. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
- ^ Kennedy, Maev (23 May 2006). "Government accused of draconian treatment of asylum seekers". Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
- ^ A New Vision for Catholic Mission - Westcott House, page 9
- ^ "Camden News: Father Philip North | St Michael's Church | Art | Plays | Concerts". www.thecnj.com. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ Homepage