St Paul's Church is a
Church of England parish church located in Bedford Street,
Covent Garden,
central London. It was designed by
Inigo Jones as part of a commission for the
4th Earl of Bedford in 1631 to create "houses and buildings fit for the habitations of Gentlemen and men of ability".
As well as being the
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, ...
of Covent Garden, the church has gained the nickname of "the actors' church" by a long association with the theatre community.
Completed in 1633, St Paul's was the first entirely new
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* C ...
to be built in London since the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
.
[ Its design and the layout of the square have been attributed to Inigo Jones since the 17th century, although firm documentary evidence is lacking.][ According to an often repeated story, recorded by Horace Walpole, Lord Bedford asked Jones to design a simple church "not much better than a barn", to which the architect replied "Then you shall have the handsomest barn in England".
]
The building is described by Sir John Summerson
Sir John Newenham Summerson (25 November 1904 – 10 November 1992) was one of the leading British architectural historians of the 20th century.
Early life
John Summerson was born at Barnstead, Coniscliffe Road, Darlington. His grandfather wo ...
as "a study in the strictly Vitruvian Tuscan Order" and "almost an archaeological exercise".[ The description of a Tuscan or Etruscan-style temple by ]Vitruvius
Vitruvius (; c. 80–70 BC – after c. 15 BC) was a Roman architect and engineer during the 1st century BC, known for his multi-volume work entitled '' De architectura''. He originated the idea that all buildings should have three attribut ...
, which Jones closely follows in this building, reflects the early forms of Roman temple
Ancient Roman temples were among the most important buildings in Roman culture, and some of the richest buildings in Roman architecture, though only a few survive in any sort of complete state. Today they remain "the most obvious symbol of ...
, which essentially continued Etruscan architecture
Etruscan architecture was created between about 900 BC and 27 BC, when the expanding civilization of ancient Rome finally absorbed Etruscan civilization. The Etruscans were considerable builders in stone, wood and other materials of temples, hou ...
, though quite what Vitruvius intended by his account has divided modern scholars. It has been seen as a work of deliberate primitivism: the Tuscan order
The Tuscan order (Latin ''Ordo Tuscanicus'' or ''Ordo Tuscanus'', with the meaning of Etruscan order) is one of the two classical orders developed by the Romans, the other being the composite order. It is influenced by the Doric order, but with ...
is associated by Palladio with agricultural buildings.[
The temple front with a portico on the square has never in fact been the main entrance, although this may have been Jones's first intention. The altar lies behind this wall, and the entrance is at the far end to this. The stone facing of this facade is also later; originally it was apparently brick with stucco. The other sides of the building remain brick, with details in stone. The triangular ]pediment
Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape.
Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds.
A pedim ...
s at both ends are in wood.
History
In 1630, the 4th Earl of Bedford was given permission to demolish buildings on an area of land he owned north of the Strand
Strand may refer to:
Topography
*The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a:
** Beach
** Shoreline
* Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida
Places Africa
* Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa
* Strand Street ...
, and redevelop it. The result was the Covent Garden Piazza, the first formal square in London. The new buildings were classical in character. At the west end was a church, linked to two identical houses. The south side was left open.
Work on the church was completed in 1633, at a cost to the Bedford estate of £4,886, but it was not consecrated until 1638 due to a dispute between the earl and the vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England parish church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since at least the mediev ...
. It remained a chapel within the parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields until January 1646, when Covent Garden was made a separate parish and the church dedicated to St. Paul.
In 1789 there was a major restoration of the church, under the direction of the architect Thomas Hardwick
Thomas Hardwick (1752–1829) was an English architect and a founding member of the Architects' Club in 1791.
Early life and career
Hardwick was born in Brentford, Middlesex the son of a master mason turned architect also named Thomas Hard ...
.[ Six years later, in September 1795, the church was burnt out by a fire, accidentally started by workmen on the roof.][ A survey of the damage found that the outer walls were still structurally sound, but that the portico would have to be reconstructed. It is unclear whether this was in fact done. Having been restored once more, again under Hardwick's supervision, the church was reconsecrated on 1 August 1798.][ Despite the destruction, the parish records were saved, as was the pulpit — the work of ]Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons (4 April 1648 – 3 August 1721) was an Anglo-Dutch sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and other London churches, Petworth House and othe ...
.
The puritan Thomas Manton
Thomas Manton (1620–1677) was an English Puritan clergyman. He was a clerk to the Westminster Assembly and a chaplain to Oliver Cromwell.
Early life
Thomas Manton was baptised 31 March 1620 at Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset, a remote sou ...
ministered from the pulpit of St Paul's until the Great Ejection
The Great Ejection followed the Act of Uniformity 1662 in England. Several thousand Puritan ministers were forced out of their positions in the Church of England, following The Restoration of Charles II. It was a consequence (not necessarily ...
. On 23 September 1662 Simon Patrick
Simon Patrick (8 September 1626 – 31 May 1707) was an English theologian and bishop.
Life
He was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, eldest son of
Henry Patrick, a wealthy merchant, on 8 September 1626, and attended Boston Gramma ...
, later Bishop of Ely, was preferred to the rectory of St. Paul's where he served during the plague.
The first known victim of the 1665–1666 outbreak of the Plague
Plague or The Plague may refer to:
Agriculture, fauna, and medicine
*Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis''
* An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural)
* A pandemic caused by such a disease
* A swarm of pe ...
in England, Margaret Ponteous, was buried in the churchyard on 12 April 1665.
Architecture
The east end, facing the piazza, is now faced in stone, with a massive portico, its boldly-projecting pediment supported by two columns and two piers. There were originally three doorways behind the portico; the middle one, which survives, was built as a false door as the interior wall behind it is occupied by the altar.[ The other two were blocked up in the 19th century, when the chancel floor was raised.][ The main entrance to the church is through the plainer west front, which has a pediment, but no portico.] William Prynne
William Prynne (1600 – 24 October 1669), an English lawyer, voluble author, polemicist and political figure, was a prominent Puritan opponent of church policy under William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury (1633–1645). His views were presbyte ...
, writing in 1638 said that it was originally intended to have the altar at the west end, but pressure from the church hierarchy led to the imposition of the traditional orientation.[
The earliest existing detailed description, dating from 1708, says that the exterior was not of bare brick, but rendered with stucco. In 1789 it was decided to case the walls in Portland stone as part of a major programme of renovation, which Thomas Hardwick was chosen to supervise. At the same time the tiled roof was replaced with slate, the dormer windows, added in the 1640s, were removed,][ and the archways flanking the church, originally of stuccoed brick, were replaced with stone replicas.][ When Hardwick's stone facing was removed from the church in 1888, it was found to be a thin covering less than three inches thick, poorly bonded to the brick. The building was then reclad in the present unrendered red brick.][
There were originally six or seven steps leading up to the portico, but these disappeared as the level of the Piazza was raised gradually over the years. By 1823 there were only two steps visible, and none by 1887.] The arches at the side of the portico were substantially widened and raised during a restoration of 1878–82 by Henry Clutton
Henry Clutton (19 March 1819 – 27 June 1893)Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , Photograph , http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pis&GScid=1366392&GRid=12186732&PIgrid=12186732&PIcrid=1366392&PIpi=3000944& was an English arc ...
, The 9th Duke of Bedford's architect.[ Clutton also removed the bell-turret over the western pediment.][
The interior is a single space, undivided by piers or columns. The eastern third was originally marked out as a chancel by means of the floor being raised by one step. The level was raised further during alterations by ]William Butterfield
William Butterfield (7 September 1814 – 23 February 1900) was a Gothic Revival architect and associated with the Oxford Movement (or Tractarian Movement). He is noted for his use of polychromy.
Biography
William Butterfield was born in Lon ...
in 1871–72. The church was built without galleries, but they were soon added on three sides. Hardwick included them in his rebuilding, and the western one remains today.[
To the sides of the portico there were two elaborate pedimented gateways to the churchyard that were removed, then replaced, continuing the "Tuscan" style.][ Plans and historical images show a variety of relatively small structures rising from the roof, some shown housing bells. The roof is now completely bare, and two bells can be seen in recesses cut high on the western facade.
The portico was a great inspiration for ]Roger Morris (1695–1749)
Roger Morris (19 April 1695 – 31 January 1749) was an English architect whose connection with Colen Campbell brought him to the attention of Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke, with whom Morris collaborated on a long series of projects.
Biog ...
when designing the stable block for Althorp House
Althorp (popularly pronounced ) is a Grade I listed stately home and estate in the civil parish of Althorp, in West Northamptonshire, England of about . By road it is about northwest of the county town of Northampton and about northwest of ...
, Northamptonshire, which is believed to have been built between 1732 and 1733. In the Palladian style and constructed of local ironstone, the east and north sides of the stables feature the deep porticos, both of which face the house. Many architectural historians have expressed the view that the stables are of more architectural importance than the house itself, which is rather more plain in comparison as a result of many centuries of alterations, including a major exterior renovation by Henry Holland (1745-1806) in the 1790s.
Theatrical connections
St Paul's connection with the theatre began as early as 1663 with the establishment of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...
, and was further assured in 1723 with the opening of Covent Garden Theatre, now the Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...
.
On 9 May 1662, Samuel Pepys noted in his diary the first "Italian puppet play" under the portico—the first recorded performance of "Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr. Punch and his wife Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically Mr. Punch and one other character ...
", a fact commemorated by the annual MayFayre service in May.
The portico of St Paul's was the setting for the first scene of Shaw's
Shaw's and Star Market are two American supermarket chains under united management based in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, employing about 30,000 associates in 150 total stores; 129 stores are operated under the Shaw's banner in Maine, Massach ...
'' Pygmalion'', the play that was later adapted as ''My Fair Lady
''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...
''. Since 2007 St Paul's has been home to its own in-house professional theatre company, Iris Theatre
Iris Theatre is a professional theatre company created in 2007 by Dr. Daniel Winder to produce work at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden.
It is particularly known for its outdoor productions which run throughout the summer months, playing to au ...
, originally created to mount a production of T. S. Eliot's ''Murder in the Cathedral
''Murder in the Cathedral'' is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot, first performed in 1935, that portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170. Eliot drew heavily on the writin ...
''. It gained full charitable status in October 2009.
Baptisms, burials and memorials
The artist J. M. W. Turner and dramatist
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays.
Etymology
The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...
Sir William S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame) were both baptised at St Paul's.
Samuel Butler (1613–1680), of ''Hudibras
''Hudibras'' is a vigorous satirical poem, written in a mock-heroic style by Samuel Butler (1613–1680), and published in three parts in 1663, 1664 and 1678. The action is set in the last years of the Interregnum, around 1658–60, immediately ...
'' fame, was buried at St Paul's, Covent Garden. Aubrey in ''Brief Lives
''Brief Lives'' is a collection of short biographies written by John Aubrey (1626–1697) in the last decades of the 17th century.
Writing
Aubrey initially began collecting biographical material to assist the Oxford scholar Anthony Wood, who ...
'' describes his grave as "being in the north part next to the church at the east end ... 2 yards distant from the pillaster of the dore". His grave was never marked. A monument to him was placed in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the Unite ...
in 1732 by a printer with the surname Barber, and the Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional pow ...
.
Among others also buried at St Paul's, Covent Garden, are the wood-carver Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons (4 April 1648 – 3 August 1721) was an Anglo-Dutch sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and other London churches, Petworth House and othe ...
, the painters Thomas Murray, Sir Peter Lely
Sir Peter Lely (14 September 1618 – 7 December 1680) was a painter of Dutch origin whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court.
Life
Lely was born Pieter van der Faes to Dutch ...
, and Thomas Girtin
Thomas Girtin (18 February 17759 November 1802) was an English watercolourist and etcher. A friend and rival of J. M. W. Turner, Girtin played a key role in establishing watercolour as a reputable art form.
Life
Thomas Girtin was born in Sou ...
, Thomas Arne
Thomas Augustine Arne (; 12 March 17105 March 1778) was an English composer. He is best known for his patriotic song " Rule, Britannia!" and the song "A-Hunting We Will Go", the latter composed for a 1777 production of '' The Beggar's Opera'', wh ...
(composer of "Rule Britannia
"Rule, Britannia!" is a British patriotic song, originating from the 1740 poem "Rule, Britannia" by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in the same year. It is most strongly associated with the Royal Navy, but is also used by the ...
"), and Sir Henry Herbert who as Master of the Revels
The Master of the Revels was the holder of a position within the English, and later the British, royal household, heading the "Revels Office" or "Office of the Revels". The Master of the Revels was an executive officer under the Lord Chamberlain ...
to James I James I may refer to:
People
*James I of Aragon (1208–1276)
*James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327)
*James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu
*James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347)
*James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...
and Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
was a censor of the theatre. A memorial tablet in the church commemorates Charles Macklin
Charles Macklin (26 September 1699 – 11 July 1797), (Gaelic: Cathal MacLochlainn, English: Charles McLaughlin), was an Irish actor and dramatist who performed extensively at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Macklin revolutionised theatre in ...
, the great Shakespearean actor from Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
. The ashes of Dames Ellen Terry
Dame Alice Ellen Terry, (27 February 184721 July 1928), was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and tour ...
and Edith Evans rest in St Paul's.
Memorials in the church are dedicated to many famous entertainment personalities of the 20th century, including Sir Charlie Chaplin, Sir Noël Coward, Dame Gracie Fields, Stanley Holloway
Stanley Augustus Holloway (1 October 1890 – 30 January 1982) was an English actor, comedian, singer and monologist. He was famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred P. Doolittle in ''My F ...
, Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...
, Vivien Leigh, Ivor Novello, Richard Greene
Richard Marius Joseph Greene (25 August 1918 – 1 June 1985) was a noted English film and television actor. A matinée idol who appeared in more than 40 films, he was perhaps best known for the lead role in the long-running British TV series ' ...
and Richard Beckinsale
Richard Arthur Beckinsale (6 July 1947 – 19 March 1979) was an English actor. He played Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom ''Porridge'' (along with its sequel series '' Going Straight'') and Alan Moore in the ITV sitcom ''Rising Damp''. He is t ...
. The Avenue of Stars, which commemorated many notable figures and groups from the entertainment industry, formerly passed outside the church. There is also a memorial plaque to music hall star Bransby Williams
Bransby Williams (born Bransby William Pharez; 14 August 1870 – 3 December 1961) was a British actor, comedian and monologist. He became known as "The Irving of the music halls".
Early years
Born in Hackney, London, the son of William M ...
which was unveiled by Sir Michael Redgrave
Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave CBE (20 March 1908 – 21 March 1985) was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author. He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''Mourning Becomes Elec ...
.
The church is surrounded by an award-winning graveyard garden. The churchyard closed to burials in 1852.
In 2002, the church hosted the first of two weddings (the other one was held in Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
) for musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale
Gavin McGregor Rossdale (born 30 October 1965) is an English guitarist and actor, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Bush. He helped form Bush in 1992; on the band's separation in 2002, he became the lead singer ...
.
Notable events
In the 1980s, the site directly outside the church was where the then Greater London Council, soon to be abolished, liked to showcase bands, as part of its "Street Performers" policy for using public open spaces, and the Council then controlled the Covent Garden Piazza. On Sunday, 1 April 1984, the first samba school in Britain, the London School of Samba (LSS), performed its first ever public concert on this site. Its second concert, on Saturday, 7 April 1984, also took place outside the church. The LSS had been formed on 31 January 1984 and was considered to be the Madrinha, or "godmother", of samba in the United Kingdom. Later in 1984, the LSS was also the first school of samba to parade in the Notting Hill Carnival.
John Whitworth, a professor at the Guildhall School of Music, was organist of the church from 1965 to 1971.
Orchestra
Covent Garden Sinfonia (known as the Orchestra of St Paul's until June 2017) is a professional chamber orchestra resident at the Actors' Church. In addition to a concert series in Covent Garden, the orchestra gives performances all around the UK and makes regular visits to the Southbank Centre, Cadogan Hall and St John's, Smith Square
St John's Smith Square is a redundant church in the centre of Smith Square, Westminster, London. Sold to a charitable trust as a ruin following firebombing in the Second World War, it was restored as a concert hall.
This Grade I listed
...
. Based around a core of principal players, Covent Garden Sinfonia adapts to each project, ranging in size from a small ensemble to a full symphony orchestra of 70 or more. The orchestra's Artistic Director is Ben Palmer and its patron is Sir Roger Norrington.
Rectors of St Paul's, Covent Garden
*1646–1656 Obadiah Sedgwick
Obadiah Sedgwick (1600?–1658) was an English clergyman of presbyterian views, and a member of the Westminster Assembly.
Life
He was son of Joseph Sedgwick, vicar of St. Peter's, Marlborough, Wiltshire, and then of Ogbourne St. Andrew, and was ...
*1656–1662 Thomas Manton
Thomas Manton (1620–1677) was an English Puritan clergyman. He was a clerk to the Westminster Assembly and a chaplain to Oliver Cromwell.
Early life
Thomas Manton was baptised 31 March 1620 at Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset, a remote sou ...
(ejected in the Great Ejection
The Great Ejection followed the Act of Uniformity 1662 in England. Several thousand Puritan ministers were forced out of their positions in the Church of England, following The Restoration of Charles II. It was a consequence (not necessarily ...
)
*1662–1689 Simon Patrick
Simon Patrick (8 September 1626 – 31 May 1707) was an English theologian and bishop.
Life
He was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, eldest son of
Henry Patrick, a wealthy merchant, on 8 September 1626, and attended Boston Gramma ...
(as Dean of Peterborough from 1679, later Bishop of Chichester then Ely)
*1689–1707† Samuel Freeman (as Dean of Peterborough from 1691)
*1708–1730† Robert Lumley Lloyd
*1730–1754† Charles Tough
*1754–1755 James Tattersall
*1755–1758 John Cradock (as Bishop of Kilmore from 1757, later Archbishop of Dublin)
*1758–1784† James Tattersall (2nd term)
*1784–1809† Richard Bullock
*1810–1817† Edward Embry
*1817–1831† Francis Randolph
*1831–1848 George Hull Bowers
George Hull Bowers was Dean of Manchester in the mid part of the 19th century.
Born in Staffordshire in 1794, he was educated at Clare College, Cambridge and ordained in 1819. He began his ecclesiastical career at Elstow after which he was Rec ...
(as Dean of Manchester from 1847)
*1848–1863† Henry Hutton
*1863–1865† Charles Edward Oakley
*1865–1873 Berdmore Compton
*1873–1899† Samuel Francis Cumberlege
*1899–1918† Edward Henry Mosse (killed in an air raid)
*1918–1923 James Granville Adderley
*1924–1944 Reginald Hart Davies
*1944–1957† Vincent Howson
*1957–1969† Clarence May
*1969–1975 John Hester
*1975–1984 F. John Arrow Smith
*1986–1999 David Elliott
*2000–2005 Mark Oakley
*2006– Simon Grigg
† ''Rector died in post''
Gallery
File:1690 bedford house.jpg, Map of Covent Garden, from a drawing of c. 1690
File:Statue St Pauls Covent Garden.JPG, Statue of the Conversion of St Paul was sculpted by Bruce DennyThe Conversion of St Paul - the Bruce Denny website
/ref> and was unveiled by Dame Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...
File:St Pauls Covent Garden Pulpit.JPG, The pulpit was the work of Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons (4 April 1648 – 3 August 1721) was an Anglo-Dutch sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and other London churches, Petworth House and othe ...
File:St Pauls Covent Garden font.JPG, The font
File:Ellen Terry Ashes St Pauls.jpg, The ashes of Dame Ellen Terry
Dame Alice Ellen Terry, (27 February 184721 July 1928), was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and tour ...
File:Thomas Arne St Pauls Covent Garden.jpg, Memorial Plaque to composer Thomas Arne
Thomas Augustine Arne (; 12 March 17105 March 1778) was an English composer. He is best known for his patriotic song " Rule, Britannia!" and the song "A-Hunting We Will Go", the latter composed for a 1777 production of '' The Beggar's Opera'', wh ...
File:Charles Chaplin St Pauls Covent Garden.jpg, Memorial Plaque to Charlie Chaplin
File:St Pauls Plaque.JPG, Plaque to the side of St Paul's Lightwell
See also
* Berdmore Compton
*List of churches and cathedrals of London
This is a list of cathedrals, churches and chapels in Greater London, which is divided into 32 London boroughs and the City of London. The list focuses on the more permanent churches and buildings which identify themselves as places of Chris ...
* Crown Court Church – located nearby
* Saint Malachy's Roman Catholic Church, New York City, also known as the Actors' Church
*St. Lawrence's Church, Mereworth
St Lawrence's Church is an Anglican parish church at Mereworth, Kent, United Kingdom. It is in the deanery of West Malling, the Diocese of Rochester and Province of Canterbury. The church was built in the mid-1740s by John Fane, the 7th Earl ...
– partly modelled on this church.
References
External links
St Paul's, Covent Garden
entry from the ''Survey of London
The Survey of London is a research project to produce a comprehensive architectural survey of central London and its suburbs, or the area formerly administered by the London County Council. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Robert Ashbee, an A ...
''
Mystery Worshipper Report
at the Ship of Fools website
Covent Garden Sinfonia
Actors' Church
Deanery of Westminster (St Margaret)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Paul's, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Diocese of London
Covent Garden
Neoclassical architecture in London
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1633
17th-century Church of England church buildings
Grade I listed churches in the City of Westminster
1633 establishments in England
Neoclassical church buildings in England