St Mary, Stoke Newington is a parish church in

Stoke Newington Stoke Newington is an area in the northwest part of the London Borough of Hackney, England. The area is northeast of Charing Cross. The Manor of Stoke Newington gave its name to Stoke Newington (parish), Stoke Newington, the ancient parish. S ...

London Borough of Hackney The London Borough of Hackney ( ) is a London boroughs, London borough in Inner London, England. The historical and administrative heart of Hackney is Mare Street, which lies north-east of Charing Cross. The borough is named after Hackney, Lond ...

. Designed in the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

version of the

Decorated style English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed a ...

George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), largely known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he ...

and completed in 1858, it replaced a medieval and 16th century church, now an arts venue, and serves what remains of the ancient parish of Stoke Newington after other parishes were split from it in 1849, 1873, 1883 and 1892. The design was loosely based on that of

Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Church of England, Anglican cathedral in the city of Salisbury, England. The cathedral is regarded as one of the leading examples of Early English architecture, ...

. It is

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 ...

. The first vicar was Thomas Jackson, who, as a young rector, was attracting congregations from all over London by his reputation as a preacher. The church's steeple, however, was not completed until 1890, by Scott's son

John Oldrid Scott John Oldrid Scott (17 July 1841 – 30 May 1913) was a British architect. Biography He was the son of George Gilbert Scott and his wife Caroline (). His brother George Gilbert Scott Junior and nephew Sir Giles Gilbert Scott were also prominent ...

, which led to a humorous rhyme being composed: A restoration of St Mary's was undertaken under

Nugent Cachemaille-Day Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day (1896–1976), often referred to as NF Cachemaille-Day, was an English architect who designed some of the most "revolutionary" 20th-century churches in the country. His Church of St Nicholas, Burnage has been c ...

after the Second World War. It was Grade II* listed on 1 September 1953. Composer William Carter was organist at St Mary, Stoke Newington from 1854 through 1856.

References

Stoke Newington 19th-century Church of England church buildings Church of England church buildings in the London Borough of Hackney Churches completed in 1858 Diocese of London Gothic Revival church buildings in London Grade II* listed churches in London George Gilbert Scott buildings {{London-Anglican-church-stub