St Mary's Church, Twickenham, also known as St Mary the Virgin, Twickenham, is a

Grade II* listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

place of worship dedicated to

Saint Mary the Virgin Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

. It is on Church Street,

Twickenham Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

in the

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames () in south-west Greater London, London, England, forms part of Outer London and is the only London boroughs, London borough on both sides of the River Thames. It was created in 1965 when three smaller ...

, England. The

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), 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 com ...

stands a short distance from York House and the banks of the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

, immediately opposite Eel Pie Island.

History

The church stands on the site of an earlier one and incorporates its 15th-century medieval tower. On 9 April 1713 the ancient church's 14th-century

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-type ...

collapsed. The painter

Godfrey Kneller Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet (born Gottfried Kniller; 8 August 1646 – 19 October 1723) was a German-born British painter. The leading Portrait painting, portraitist in England during the late Stuart period, Stuart and early Georgian eras ...

was a

churchwarden A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish or congregation of the Anglican Communion, Lutheran Churches or Catholic Church, usually working as a part-time volunteer. In the Anglican tradition, holders of these positions are ''ex officio'' mem ...

of St Mary's at the time and was active in the plans for reconstruction in the Neo-classical style by the local architect John James.St Mary's Church
at twickenham-museum.org.uk, accessed 14 October 2012 A local resident, Lady Wentworth, wrote a month after the collapse that it had been foreseen by a new vicar, Dr Pratt: Inside the 18th-century church some older monuments have survived from the medieval

, including a brass to Richard Burton, the King's chief cook, and Agnes his wife, dated 1443. Inside the church are some fine monuments including those to: * The Rt Hon. Lady Margaret Wildman (d.1825) by Sir Richard Westmacott RA * George Gostlin (d.1782) and his wife Anne (d.1799) by John Bacon Junior * Sir Chaloner Ogle (d.1750), Baronet and Admiral of the Fleet, by John Michael Rysbrack * Nathaniel Pigott (d.1737) by

Peter Scheemakers Peter Scheemakers or Pieter Scheemaeckers II or the Younger (10 January 1691 – 12 September 1781) was a Southern Netherlands, Flemish sculptor who worked for most of his life in London. His public and church sculptures in a classicism, classici ...

* Alexander Pope (d.1761) by Prince Hoare of Bath. On 20 June 1721 Dr Pratt baptised at the church "James Shandayes and John Twogood", described as two Indian princes. They were followed in 1747 by

Henry Fielding Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English writer and magistrate known for the use of humour and satire in his works. His 1749 comic novel ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'' was a seminal work in the genre. Along wi ...

's son William. Hallam Tennyson, son of the poet

Alfred, Lord Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of ...

, and eventually second Governor-General of Australia, was christened at the church in 1852. The 18th-century nave of the church is in red brick with Tuscan

pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...

s and

pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...

s. Following the reconstruction of 1713–14, the church was enlarged in 1754 and contains fittings of the same period, including a

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a Church (building), church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular a ...

and gallery fronts. The tower has a ring of eight bells, of which one dates from the early 16th century, three from the 17th and four from the 18th.SAINT MARY THE VIRGIN, TWICKENHAM
at aim25.ac.uk, accessed 20 October 2012

Extent of parish

Like the ancient church on the site, the present one began life as the

for the whole of Twickenham. However, housing development in the 19th and 20th centuries led to new parishes being created for several new Church of England churches: Holy Trinity Twickenham (1842), St Philip and St James Church, Whitton (1862), St Stephen's, Twickenham (1875), All Saints Church, Twickenham (1914) and All Hallows, Twickenham (1939). As these came into being, the parish of St Mary's became smaller, but it still takes in most of central Twickenham.

Burials

* Bridget Markham and Cecily Bulstrode, ladies in waiting to

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...

who both died at Twickenham Park in 1609. Markham is commemorated with an inscription inside. * Sir William Berkeley (1605–1677),

Governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. The Governor (United States), governor is head of the Government_of_Virginia#Executive_branch, executive branch ...

from 1660 to 1677, was laid to rest in the

crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...

of the church in 1677, unusually encased in "lead exactly fitted to the shape of the body, shewing the form of the features, hands, feet, and even nails", instead of a coffin. A year later he was joined by the remains of his brother Lord Berkeley, one of the Lords Proprietor of

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. The brothers are commemorated in a memorial window in the present church, under which the ancient

survives.Warren M. Billings, ''Sir William Berkeley and the Forging of Colonial Virginia'' (

Louisiana State University Press The Louisiana State University Press (LSU Press) is a university press at Louisiana State University. Founded in 1935, it publishes works of scholarship as well as general interest books. LSU Press is a member of the Association of University Pres ...

, 2010 edition), p. 268 (footnote) * Sir

died in 1723 and his remains were entombed in the church. * Charlotte Boscawen Moore, Countess of Drogheda, widow of Henry Moore, 4th Earl of Drogheda and the daughter of

Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth (pronounced "Boscowen") ( ; ca. 1680 – 25 October 1734), was an English people, English Whigs (British political party), Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons for P ...

who 'dy'd April the 3d 1735 in the 32d Year of her Age' is buried in the nave. *

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early ...

(1688–1744) lies in the church under a stone slab engraved simply with the letter P, near a bronze memorial plate,Lynn F. Pearson, ''Discovering Famous Graves'' (Shire Discovering vol. 288, 2008, ), p. 82 joining his mother, Edith Pope (1643–1733), who had been buried in the church in 1733. * The actress and soprano singer

Kitty Clive Catherine Clive (née Raftor; 5 November 1711 – 6 December 1785) Catherine ‘Kitty’ Clive (1711–1785, active 1728–1769) was a first songster and star comedienne of British playhouse entertainment. Clive led and created new forms of Engl ...

(1711–1785) was buried in the churchyard in 1785. A plaque to her memory was affixed to the outside wall in the north-east angle of the church chancel. * General

William Tryon Lieutenant-General William Tryon (8 June 172927 January 1788) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as governor of North Carolina from 1764 to 1771 and the governor of New York from 1771 to 1777. He also served durin ...

(1729–1788), a soldier who served as governor of the

Province of North Carolina The Province of North Carolina, originally known as the Albemarle Settlements, was a proprietary colony and later royal colony of Great Britain that existed in North America from 1712 to 1776.(p. 80) It was one of the five Southern col ...

(1765–1771) and of the

Province of New York The Province of New York was a British proprietary colony and later a royal colony on the northeast coast of North America from 1664 to 1783. It extended from Long Island on the Atlantic, up the Hudson River and Mohawk River valleys to ...

(1771–1780) was buried in the churchyard in 1788. * At the north-east corner of the church, in the graveyard, is a memorial to the tea merchant Thomas Twining (1675–1741). * Martha Bruce, Countess of Elgin and Kincardine, former

governess A governess is a woman employed as a private tutor, who teaches and trains a child or children in their home. A governess often lives in the same residence as the children she is teaching; depending on terms of their employment, they may or ma ...

of Princess Charlotte of Wales, was buried at St Mary's on 4 July 1810. There is a memorial to timber merchant James Montgomrey's wife Henrietta (1818–1905) in the church, but both she and her husband were buried at Isleworth CemeteryA. B. Willson, ''Memorials and Ledgerstones of St Mary’s Church Twickenham'' The funeral of Neil Aspinall (1941–2008), head of

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

' company

Apple Corps Apple Corps Limited is a British multimedia company that was established in London by the members of the Beatles in the 1960s to form a Conglomerate (company), conglomerate. The company's name, pronounced "apple core", is a pun. Its chief div ...

and sometimes called "the

fifth Beatle The fifth Beatle is an informal title that has been applied to people who were at one point a member of the Beatles or who had a strong association with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The term originated in 196 ...

", took place at the church in 2008, although Aspinall was buried at

Teddington Teddington is an affluent suburb of London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Historically an Civil parish#ancient parishes, ancient parish in the county of Middlesex and situated close to the border with Surrey, the district became ...

St Mary's Church in art

The church is featured in Osmund Caine's painting ''Wedding at Twickenham Parish Church'' (1948), which is in the

Art Collection.

References

External links

*
St Mary's, Twickenham, graves
at gravestonephotos.com
St Mary the Virgin, Twickenham, Middlesex
at flickr {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's, Twickenham 1714 establishments in England 18th-century Church of England church buildings Churches completed in 1714 Churches in Twickenham

Churches on the Thames Diocese of London Grade II* listed churches in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames History of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Rebuilt churches in the United Kingdom