Knowledge (XXG)

St Alfege Church, Greenwich

Source 📝

319: 236: 42: 495: 487: 560: 307:, to the designs of Nicholas Hawksmoor, one of the commission's two surveyors. The first church to be built by the commissioners, it was begun in 1712 and basic construction was completed in 1714; it was not, however, consecrated until 1718. The church was built by 326:
The church is rectangular in plan with a flat ceiling and a small apse serving as a chancel. The east front, towards the street, has a portico in the Tuscan order, with a central arch cutting through the entablature and pediment—a motif used in
1379: 351:, who, according to the minutes of the commission, "improved" Hawksmoor's plans. On the north and south sides of the churchwide projecting vestibules rise to the full height of the building, with steps leading up to the doors. 1384: 694:
car crash, Serge Carrefax laughs from his position within the upturned chassis. This laughter is "a pleasant noise; reminds him of liturgical chants and whispers echoing around St. Alfege's interior."
354:
Hawksmoor planned a west tower, in the position of the existing one, which had survived the collapse. However the commission was reluctant to fund it, and the medieval tower was retained. In 1730
1374: 385:
in 1953. As part of the post-war restorations, stencils of Mary the Mother of Jesus and St John the Evangelist were installed either side of the Cross (forming a traditional
1032: 1414: 1394: 1120: 1316: 545:”, but "people just carried on drinking their tea" in a display of typical British fortitude even though "all these armed police bursting in was like the film 258:
by Danish raiders the previous year. The Danes took him to their camp at Greenwich and killed him when the large ransom they demanded was not forthcoming.
358:
refaced it, and added a spire. Hawksmoor's design, published in an engraving in 1714, had an octagonal lantern at the top, a motif he was later to use at
1389: 591: 304: 1330: 480:
in 1934. By this point it had grown to 47 stops. It survived the bomb damage of 1941 and was rebuilt, again by R Spurden Rutt, in 1953, with 55 stops.
1404: 703: 1284: 1419: 1409: 1399: 1253: 1010: 318: 1089: 1369: 1113: 644:(shown above right), was buried in the church after dying aged twelve, just a year after her portrait had been painted. The merchant, 235: 41: 444:
The previous organ had a long history. It dated from the 16th century (when St Alfege was recorded as having a pair of organs). The
494: 619: 519: 1218: 1208: 1106: 461: 1228: 486: 1248: 1158: 541:, was stormed by armed police. An attendee said that the vicar's wife was "almost knocked over by a policeman with a huge 382: 277: 134: 1258: 1198: 1263: 1203: 445: 312: 1213: 1268: 1233: 1223: 1163: 1130: 469: 465: 216: 1243: 1311: 1193: 1153: 691: 503: 292: 381:. The walls and the tower remained standing but much of the interior was gutted. The church was restored by Sir 303:
Following the collapse of the medieval church, the present building was constructed, funded by a grant from the
251: 477: 456:, who was buried in the chancel of the medieval church in the 16th century. The organ was restored in 1706 by 254:, and reputedly marks the place where he was martyred on 19 April 1012, having been taken prisoner during the 1238: 1173: 1093: 681: 522:. The later of the two churchyards was laid out as a garden and recreation ground by the landscape gardener 308: 518:
The church had two churchyards, which were closed to burials in 1853. In 1889 they were transferred to the
1051:
Daniel Lysons, The Environs of London: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent, vol. 4 (London, 1796), p. 475.
652: 452:
is on display at the West End of the South aisle. This may incorporate keys from the time of the composer
418: 355: 332: 78: 1168: 359: 551:”. The police proceeded to the adjacent St Alfege Park, where a man was arrested and a firearm found. 425: 645: 507: 255: 575: 281: 224: 582:
Notable people buried in and around the church include the Renaissance choirmaster and composer
414: 797: 733: 673: 633: 606:(died 1719) on the outer south-west corner of the church, the English-born explorer of Canada 603: 564: 208: 83: 1098: 1037: 457: 328: 288:
with which it remained until transferred to the Crown by exchange under Henry VIII in 1530.
183: 63: 1060: 1306: 668: 599: 570: 523: 473: 374: 17: 405:
The present organ was installed in 2001, having been relocated from the Lower Chapel at
623: 583: 424:
Additionally, there is a small, six-stop moveable organ located in the north aisle, by
193: 1363: 727: 595: 587: 534: 453: 449: 433: 429: 410: 394: 348: 239: 656: 607: 406: 366: 344: 285: 640:-born schoolgirl (1783–1795) who was the subject of the celebrated painting 526:, and opened in 1889. It was renamed St Alfege Park. Wilkinson planted 500 trees. 648: 627: 611: 542: 336: 989: 968: 947: 926: 905: 884: 860: 839: 818: 559: 262: 1345: 1332: 686: 530: 370: 212: 280:
during the 13th century. Following the suppression of alien priories under
448:
does not record its present whereabouts. However, a three manual drawstop
223:. It is of medieval origin and was rebuilt in 1712–1714 to the designs of 547: 340: 273: 637: 390: 266: 247: 129: 468:(1840, 1853 and 1863). It was further restored and rebuilt in 1875 by 615: 538: 220: 168: 156: 59: 1380:
Church of England church buildings in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
558: 493: 485: 317: 234: 146: 1033:"Armed police storm through church garden party hunting for man" 460:, with further restorations and modifications by Dallam (1765), 386: 378: 1102: 502:
The church is currently used to celebrate "Founder's Day" of
1082: 377:
landed on the roof causing it to collapse, burning into the
757:. World of Art. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 110–11. 677:, Bella Wilfer marries John Rokesmith in St Alfege Church. 1385:
Grade I listed buildings in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
787:
Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1859 by Rupert Gunnis
291:
During a storm in 1710 the medieval church collapsed, its
295:
having been weakened by burials both inside and outside.
389:) in the side chapel of St Alfege with St Peter by the 476:, modified by Lewis & Co in 1910 and rebuilt by 1297: 1277: 1182: 1137: 192: 182: 177: 167: 155: 145: 140: 128: 123: 115: 107: 102: 94: 89: 77: 69: 55: 34: 777:. The Buildings of England. London: Penguin Books. 659:in the early 19th century, is also buried here. 1375:18th-century Church of England church buildings 365:The crypt served as an air-raid shelter during 343:runs around the rest of the church, a feature 1114: 8: 773:Cherry, Bridget; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1990) . 630:(died 1762), against the outer north wall. 261:The church was rebuilt in around 1290, and 1274: 1121: 1107: 1099: 592:Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal 537:, held in the churchyard after the Sunday 413:instrument, with modifications in 1927 by 305:Commission for Building Fifty New Churches 40: 31: 1415:History of the Royal Borough of Greenwich 879: 877: 704:List of churches and cathedrals of London 432:from c 1960, with a later restoration by 409:, with some minor changes. It is an 1891 748: 746: 744: 715: 322:A view of the church from the southwest 1395:Rebuilt churches in the United Kingdom 1011:"London Gardens Trust: St Alfege Park" 990:"National Pipe Organ Register: N16371" 969:"National Pipe Organ Register: N16370" 948:"National Pipe Organ Register: N16369" 927:"National Pipe Organ Register: N16368" 906:"National Pipe Organ Register: C00963" 885:"National Pipe organ Register: N16366" 861:"National Pipe Organ Register: A00782" 840:"National Pipe Organ Register: E00391" 819:"National Pipe Organ Register: E00392" 563:Sarah Barrett Moulton in the portrait 1285:St George's Garrison Church, Woolwich 1254:St Michael and All Angels, Blackheath 1249:St Michael and All Angels, Abbey Wood 768: 766: 764: 721: 719: 7: 1312:Our Ladye Star of the Sea, Greenwich 798:"St Alfege, Greenwich: Side chapels" 586:(died 1509, no surviving memorial), 1259:St Michael and All Angels, Woolwich 618:but who died in the process at the 498:The tower on the west of the church 46:The church seen from the southeast 25: 1390:Grade I listed churches in London 520:Greenwich District Board of Works 1405:English Baroque church buildings 1061:'Greenwich: The parish church', 614:, the victor over the French in 347:suggests may have been added by 620:Battle of the Plains of Abraham 1420:1702 establishments in England 1209:Church Army Chapel, Blackheath 1065:: Volume 6 (1878), pp. 190–205 732:. London: Constable. pp.  602:(died 1658), the merchant Sir 1: 1410:Anglican Diocese of Southwark 1214:Christ Church, Shooter's Hill 1400:Nicholas Hawksmoor buildings 626:(died 1760), and the MP Sir 446:National Pipe Organ Register 313:Christopher Wren the Younger 1199:All Saints', Shooter's Hill 1164:St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich 1154:St John the Baptist, Eltham 1031:Morgan, Ben (18 May 2015). 466:J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd 276:of the church was given to 246:The church is dedicated to 1436: 1370:Churches completed in 1702 1131:Royal Borough of Greenwich 598:(died 1585), the courtier 217:Royal Borough of Greenwich 1307:New Wine Church, Woolwich 1229:St George, Westcombe Park 1090:Mystery Worshipper Report 729:London Riverside Churches 504:Addey and Stanhope School 309:Edward Strong the Younger 51: 39: 29:Church in London, England 18:St. Alphege's Church 594:1545–1561, the composer 478:R. Spurden Rutt & Co 284:, it was granted to the 252:Archbishop of Canterbury 250:(also spelt "Alphege"), 211:church in the centre of 1317:St Peter's RC, Woolwich 1194:All Saints', New Eltham 753:Downes, Kerry (1987) . 726:Daniell, A. E. (1897). 655:(died 1823), who was a 529:In 2015 a fund-raising 419:Harrison & Harrison 242:depicted in the Church 1264:St Nicholas, Kidbrooke 1174:St Nicholas, Plumstead 653:John Julius Angerstein 579: 499: 491: 323: 243: 1169:St Nicholas, Deptford 1094:Ship of Fools website 1067:Accessed 26 May 2007. 634:Sarah Barrett Moulton 622:in 1759, the actress 610:(died 1724), General 562: 497: 489: 360:St George in the East 331:'s "Great Model" for 321: 238: 1219:Holy Trinity, Eltham 1204:Ascension, Plumstead 1149:St Alfege, Greenwich 738:Accessed 5 July 2017 555:Notables buried here 508:The John Roan School 173:Revd Tati Gutteridge 163:Revd Stephen Nshimye 108:Heritage designation 1342: /  1269:St Thomas, Charlton 1239:St John, Blackheath 1234:St James, Kidbrooke 1224:St Barnabas, Eltham 663:Literary connection 415:A. Hunter & Son 333:St Paul's Cathedral 158:Assistant priest(s) 1346:51.4770°N 0.0058°W 1063:Old and New London 651:and art collector 580: 576:Huntington Library 500: 492: 373:on 19 March 1941, 324: 299:The present church 278:the abbey at Ghent 256:sack of Canterbury 244: 225:Nicholas Hawksmoor 1325: 1324: 1293: 1292: 1159:St Luke, Charlton 674:Our Mutual Friend 604:John Lethieullier 533:garden party for 383:Albert Richardson 202: 201: 194:Director of music 84:Church of England 16:(Redirected from 1427: 1357: 1356: 1354: 1353: 1352: 1351:51.4770; -0.0058 1347: 1343: 1340: 1339: 1338: 1335: 1275: 1129:Churches in the 1123: 1116: 1109: 1100: 1086: 1085: 1083:Official website 1068: 1058: 1052: 1049: 1043: 1042: 1038:Evening Standard 1028: 1022: 1021: 1019: 1017: 1007: 1001: 1000: 998: 996: 986: 980: 979: 977: 975: 965: 959: 958: 956: 954: 944: 938: 937: 935: 933: 923: 917: 916: 914: 912: 902: 896: 895: 893: 891: 881: 872: 871: 869: 867: 857: 851: 850: 848: 846: 836: 830: 829: 827: 825: 815: 809: 808: 806: 804: 794: 788: 785: 779: 778: 770: 759: 758: 750: 739: 737: 723: 458:Thomas Swarbrick 426:W & A Boggis 375:incendiary bombs 205:St Alfege Church 198:Benjamin Newlove 159: 44: 35:St Alfege Church 32: 21: 1435: 1434: 1430: 1429: 1428: 1426: 1425: 1424: 1360: 1359: 1350: 1348: 1344: 1341: 1336: 1333: 1331: 1329: 1328: 1326: 1321: 1299: 1289: 1273: 1244:St Luke, Eltham 1186: 1184: 1178: 1141: 1139: 1133: 1127: 1081: 1080: 1077: 1072: 1071: 1059: 1055: 1050: 1046: 1030: 1029: 1025: 1015: 1013: 1009: 1008: 1004: 994: 992: 988: 987: 983: 973: 971: 967: 966: 962: 952: 950: 946: 945: 941: 931: 929: 925: 924: 920: 910: 908: 904: 903: 899: 889: 887: 883: 882: 875: 865: 863: 859: 858: 854: 844: 842: 838: 837: 833: 823: 821: 817: 816: 812: 802: 800: 796: 795: 791: 786: 782: 775:London 2: South 772: 771: 762: 752: 751: 742: 725: 724: 717: 712: 700: 669:Charles Dickens 665: 600:Elizabeth Roper 574: 571:Thomas Lawrence 557: 524:Fanny Wilkinson 516: 483: 474:Benjamin Flight 442: 403: 301: 286:priory at Sheen 269:there in 1491. 233: 157: 151:Revd Simon Winn 47: 30: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1433: 1431: 1423: 1422: 1417: 1412: 1407: 1402: 1397: 1392: 1387: 1382: 1377: 1372: 1362: 1361: 1323: 1322: 1320: 1319: 1314: 1309: 1303: 1301: 1295: 1294: 1291: 1290: 1288: 1287: 1281: 1279: 1272: 1271: 1266: 1261: 1256: 1251: 1246: 1241: 1236: 1231: 1226: 1221: 1216: 1211: 1206: 1201: 1196: 1190: 1188: 1180: 1179: 1177: 1176: 1171: 1166: 1161: 1156: 1151: 1145: 1143: 1138:ancient parish 1135: 1134: 1128: 1126: 1125: 1118: 1111: 1103: 1097: 1096: 1087: 1076: 1075:External links 1073: 1070: 1069: 1053: 1044: 1023: 1002: 981: 960: 939: 918: 897: 873: 852: 831: 810: 789: 780: 760: 740: 714: 713: 711: 708: 707: 706: 699: 696: 692:Marinettiesque 664: 661: 624:Lavinia Fenton 584:William Newark 556: 553: 515: 512: 462:George England 441: 438: 411:Lewis & Co 402: 399: 300: 297: 232: 229: 215:, part of the 200: 199: 196: 190: 189: 186: 180: 179: 175: 174: 171: 165: 164: 161: 153: 152: 149: 143: 142: 138: 137: 132: 126: 125: 124:Administration 121: 120: 119:1714 (present) 117: 113: 112: 109: 105: 104: 100: 99: 96: 92: 91: 87: 86: 81: 75: 74: 73:United Kingdom 71: 67: 66: 57: 53: 52: 49: 48: 45: 37: 36: 28: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1432: 1421: 1418: 1416: 1413: 1411: 1408: 1406: 1403: 1401: 1398: 1396: 1393: 1391: 1388: 1386: 1383: 1381: 1378: 1376: 1373: 1371: 1368: 1367: 1365: 1358: 1355: 1318: 1315: 1313: 1310: 1308: 1305: 1304: 1302: 1300:denominations 1296: 1286: 1283: 1282: 1280: 1278:deconsecrated 1276: 1270: 1267: 1265: 1262: 1260: 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1245: 1242: 1240: 1237: 1235: 1232: 1230: 1227: 1225: 1222: 1220: 1217: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1207: 1205: 1202: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1192: 1191: 1189: 1181: 1175: 1172: 1170: 1167: 1165: 1162: 1160: 1157: 1155: 1152: 1150: 1147: 1146: 1144: 1136: 1132: 1124: 1119: 1117: 1112: 1110: 1105: 1104: 1101: 1095: 1091: 1088: 1084: 1079: 1078: 1074: 1066: 1064: 1057: 1054: 1048: 1045: 1040: 1039: 1034: 1027: 1024: 1012: 1006: 1003: 991: 985: 982: 970: 964: 961: 949: 943: 940: 928: 922: 919: 907: 901: 898: 886: 880: 878: 874: 862: 856: 853: 841: 835: 832: 820: 814: 811: 799: 793: 790: 784: 781: 776: 769: 767: 765: 761: 756: 749: 747: 745: 741: 735: 731: 730: 722: 720: 716: 709: 705: 702: 701: 697: 695: 693: 689: 688: 683: 678: 676: 675: 670: 662: 660: 658: 654: 650: 647: 643: 639: 635: 631: 629: 625: 621: 617: 613: 609: 605: 601: 597: 596:Thomas Tallis 593: 590:(died 1561), 589: 588:Richard Bower 585: 578:, California. 577: 572: 568: 567: 561: 554: 552: 550: 549: 544: 540: 536: 535:Christian Aid 532: 527: 525: 521: 513: 511: 509: 505: 496: 490:Interior view 488: 484: 481: 479: 475: 471: 470:Joseph Robson 467: 463: 459: 455: 454:Thomas Tallis 451: 447: 439: 437: 435: 434:Mander Organs 431: 427: 422: 420: 416: 412: 408: 400: 398: 396: 395:Augustus Lunn 392: 388: 384: 380: 376: 372: 369:. During the 368: 363: 361: 357: 352: 350: 349:Thomas Archer 346: 342: 338: 334: 330: 320: 316: 314: 310: 306: 298: 296: 294: 289: 287: 283: 279: 275: 270: 268: 264: 259: 257: 253: 249: 241: 240:Thomas Tallis 237: 231:Early history 230: 228: 226: 222: 218: 214: 210: 206: 197: 195: 191: 187: 185: 181: 176: 172: 170: 166: 162: 160: 154: 150: 148: 144: 139: 136: 133: 131: 127: 122: 118: 114: 110: 106: 101: 97: 93: 88: 85: 82: 80: 76: 72: 68: 65: 61: 58: 54: 50: 43: 38: 33: 27: 19: 1327: 1148: 1062: 1056: 1047: 1036: 1026: 1014:. Retrieved 1005: 993:. Retrieved 984: 972:. Retrieved 963: 951:. Retrieved 942: 930:. Retrieved 921: 909:. Retrieved 900: 888:. Retrieved 864:. Retrieved 855: 843:. Retrieved 834: 822:. Retrieved 813: 801:. Retrieved 792: 783: 774: 754: 728: 685: 682:Tom McCarthy 679: 672: 666: 657:churchwarden 641: 632: 608:Henry Kelsey 581: 565: 546: 528: 517: 501: 482: 443: 440:Tallis organ 423: 417:and 1970 by 407:Eton College 404: 367:World War II 364: 353: 345:Kerry Downes 325: 311:a friend of 302: 290: 271: 260: 245: 204: 203: 188:David McEvoy 103:Architecture 79:Denomination 26: 1349: / 803:14 February 649:underwriter 628:James Creed 612:James Wolfe 543:machine gun 514:Churchyards 464:(1770) and 337:giant order 293:foundations 116:Years built 1364:Categories 1334:51°28′37″N 1142:(pre-1800) 1016:19 January 995:26 January 974:26 January 953:26 January 932:26 January 911:26 January 890:26 January 866:26 January 845:26 January 824:26 January 710:References 690:, after a 356:John James 263:Henry VIII 1337:0°00′21″W 1041:. London. 755:Hawksmoor 684:'s novel 671:'s novel 531:cream tea 341:pilasters 274:patronage 213:Greenwich 184:Reader(s) 169:Curate(s) 135:Southwark 95:Dedicated 1187:churches 1185:daughter 1183:Anglican 1140:churches 698:See also 638:Jamaican 548:Hot Fuzz 267:baptized 209:Anglican 147:Vicar(s) 56:Location 1092:at the 646:Lloyd's 450:console 393:artist 391:tempera 282:Henry V 130:Diocese 111:Grade I 90:History 70:Country 642:Pinkie 636:, the 616:Canada 566:Pinkie 539:sermon 401:Organs 248:Alfege 221:London 207:is an 141:Clergy 60:London 1298:other 371:Blitz 178:Laity 1018:2021 997:2021 976:2021 955:2021 934:2021 913:2021 892:2021 868:2021 847:2021 826:2021 805:2021 736:–98. 506:and 472:and 430:Diss 387:rood 379:nave 335:. A 329:Wren 272:The 265:was 98:1718 64:SE10 734:288 680:In 667:In 569:by 428:of 421:. 339:of 219:in 1366:: 1035:. 876:^ 763:^ 743:^ 718:^ 510:. 436:. 397:. 362:. 315:. 227:. 62:, 1122:e 1115:t 1108:v 1020:. 999:. 978:. 957:. 936:. 915:. 894:. 870:. 849:. 828:. 807:. 687:C 573:. 20:)

Index

St. Alphege's Church

London
SE10
Denomination
Church of England
Diocese
Southwark
Vicar(s)
Assistant priest(s)
Curate(s)
Reader(s)
Director of music
Anglican
Greenwich
Royal Borough of Greenwich
London
Nicholas Hawksmoor

Thomas Tallis
Alfege
Archbishop of Canterbury
sack of Canterbury
Henry VIII
baptized
patronage
the abbey at Ghent
Henry V
priory at Sheen
foundations

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.