St. Mary of Eton is an

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...

church at

Hackney Wick Hackney Wick is a neighbourhood in east London, England. The area forms the south-eastern part of the district of Hackney, and also of the wider London Borough of Hackney. Adjacent areas of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets are sometimes a ...

, London, and a

Grade II* listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Ir ...

. It was built 1890–92 in the medieval Gothic style to serve the Eton Mission, a mission to the East End organised and funded by

Eton College Eton College () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI of England, Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. i ...

History

In the late 19th century, Eton College launched a scheme to provide social and religious support to people living in the crowded district of Hackney Wick in east London, and to familiarise privileged schoolboys with social conditions in deprived areas. The project of establishing an "Eton Mission" was started in 1880. St Mary of Eton Church was built 1890-02 as the centrepiece of the mission. Following wartime bomb damage, the Church of St Augustine in nearby

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

was closed in 1953 and its congregation merged with St Mary’s to form St Mary of Eton with St Augustine. St Mary of Eton is notable as the founding location of the Church of England youth club the 59 Club.The 59 Club: Rockers to host reunion at Hackney Wick church where world famous biker club was born
24 April 2018

Architecture

Tower of the Church of Saint Mary of Eton, Hackney Wick (01)

St Mary of Eton was built 1890-02 by the Victorian architects

George Frederick Bodley George Frederick Bodley (14 March 182721 October 1907) was an English Gothic Revival architect. He was a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott, and worked in partnership with Thomas Garner for much of his career. He was one of the founders of Watt ...

and

Thomas Garner Thomas Garner (1839–1906) was one of the leading English Gothic revival architects of the Victorian era. He is known for his almost 30-year partnership with architect George Frederick Bodley. Early life Born at Wasperton Hill Farm in War ...

. It is built in red brick with stone dressings. The east side of the church faces onto the main street, and a gateway leads into the courtyard which is surrounded by the old Eton Mission buildings. Eton House was built in 1898 to house the clergy, and in 1911-12, two bays were added in by

Cecil Greenwood Hare Cecil Greenwood Hare (1875 – 14 July 1932) was an architect and designer based in England. Life He was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire in 1875, the son of John Thomas Hare (1844-1902) and Mary Ann. Bodley and Hare Hare was a pupil of the arch ...

on the west side of the church. The tower was added in 1912. The interior is noted for its tall, spacious

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-typ ...

, bisected by a painted

rood screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, o ...

by Bodley. At the east end, the high

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in pagan ...

is backed by an ornately decorated reredos designed in 1930 by W Ellery Anderson. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, a bomb struck the Eton Mission in 1944, and it was badly damaged. Interior alterations were carried out in 1958 and a new organ by Grant, Degens and Rippin was installed in 1960. In 2013/14, the church carried out a major refurbishment project. The church was re-ordered and restored. Some of the old Eton Mission buildings around the courtyard were redeveloped as residential flats and some buildings were demolished. New apartment blocked constructed next to the church were built with diaper-patterned brickwork to harmonise with Bodley's original church. The development was awarded a

RIBA National Award RIBA National Awards are part of an awards program operated by the Royal Institute of British Architects, also encompassing the Stirling Prize, the European Award and the International Award. The National Awards are given to buildings in the UK w ...

in 2015 for its sensitive design.

References

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary of Eton 19th-century Church of England church buildings Church of England church buildings in the London Borough of Hackney Churches completed in 1892 Diocese of London Hackney, London Hackney Wick Grade II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Hackney Eton College George Frederick Bodley church buildings

History

Architecture

See also

References

Sources

External links