St George the Martyr Holborn 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 th ...
church located at the south end of
Queen Square,
Holborn
Holborn ( or ) is a district in central London, which covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part ( St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London.
The area has its roots ...
, in the
London Borough of Camden
The London Borough of Camden () is a London borough in Inner London. Camden Town Hall, on Euston Road, lies north of Charing Cross. The borough was established on 1 April 1965 from the area of the former boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and St ...
. It is dedicated to
Saint George
Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...
, and was originally so-called to distinguish it from the later nearby church of
St. George's Bloomsbury, with which it shared a burial ground (now St George's Gardens). While the historical name remains its formal designation, it is today known simply as St George's Holborn.
History
The church was built in 1703–06 by Arthur Tooley, as a
chapel of ease
A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church architecture, church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently.
Often a chapel of ea ...
to
St Andrew, Holborn
The Church of St Andrew, Holborn, is a Church of England church on the northwestern edge of the City of London, on Holborn within the Ward of Farringdon Without.
History
Roman and medieval
Roman pottery was found on the site during 2001/02 exc ...
.
[ Tooley was paid £3,500 to build the chapel and two houses by a group of fifteen trustees including Sir ]Streynsham Master
Sir Streynsham Master (28 October 1640 – 28 April 1724) was an English colonial administrator who was one of the 17th-century pioneers of the English East India Company. He served as the Agent of Madras from 27 January 1678 to 3 July 1681, a ...
.parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
in 1723, receiving the dedication to St George, in honour of Streynsham Master's governorship of Fort St George
Fort St. George (or historically, White Town) is a fortress in the coastal city of Chennai, India. Founded in 1639, it was the first English (later British) fortress in India. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further s ...
in India.[
The antiquary ]William Stukeley
William Stukeley (7 November 1687 – 3 March 1765) was an English antiquarian, physician and Anglican clergyman. A significant influence on the later development of archaeology, he pioneered the scholarly investigation of the prehistoric ...
was the rector from 1747 to his death there in 1765.
The church was remodelled in the early nineteenth century by J.B. Papworth, who added a bell-tower and two frontages to what had previously been a plain brick building,[
After the death of ]Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...
the Rev. Stanley Evans, M.A. gave a memorial service in his honour on March 13th 1953.
It was at this church that Ted Hughes
Edward James "Ted" Hughes (17 August 1930 – 28 October 1998) was an English poet, translator, and children's writer. Critics frequently rank him as one of the best poets of his generation and one of the twentieth century's greatest wri ...
and Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath (; October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. She is credited with advancing the genre of confessional poetry and is best known for two of her published collections, ''The ...
married on Bloomsday
Bloomsday is a commemoration and celebration of the life of Irish writer James Joyce, observed annually in Dublin and elsewhere on 16 June, the day his 1922 novel '' Ulysses'' takes place in 1904, the date of his first sexual encounter with his ...
in 1956.
Conservation
The church was designated 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 Irel ...
on 24 October 1951.
Organ
The organ has been listed as a historic instrument by the British Institute of Organ Studies
The British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS) is a British organisation and registered charity which aims to promote study and appreciation of all aspects of the pipe organ. Further, it acts as a lobbying body to raise awareness of organ issue ...
. The first organ was erected in 1773; it has been rebuilt over the years.
See also
*HTB network
The HTB network consists of churches planted by Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) or by HTB plants themselves. As such, it is a network of Anglican churches within the Church of England and the Church in Wales
The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys y ...
Notes
External links
St George's Holborn homepage
Diocese of London
Churches completed in 1706
Church of England church buildings in the London Borough of Camden
Grade II* listed churches in London
Grade II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Camden
John Buonarotti Papworth buildings and structures
Buildings and structures in Holborn
18th-century Church of England church buildings
1706 establishments in England
Holy Trinity Brompton plants
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