St John's Wood Church
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St John's Wood Church is an
Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in 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 ...
in
St John's Wood St John's Wood is a district in the London Borough of Camden, London Boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster, London, England, about 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of Charing Cross. Historically the northern part of the Civil Parish#An ...
,
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. Built in the
classical style Classical architecture typically refers to architecture consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or more specifically, from ''De architectura'' (c. 10 AD) by the Roman architect Vitruvius. Va ...
, the Grade II*- listed church is situated on Lord's Roundabout, between
Lord's Cricket Ground Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket List of Test cricket grounds, venue in St John's Wood, Westminster. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex C ...
and
Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, Borough of Camden (and historical ...
in the
Deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of ...
of Westminster St Marylebone. The
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
is under the jurisdiction of the Archdeacon of Charing Cross.


History

St John's Wood Church started life 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, generally due to trav ...
to
St Marylebone Parish Church St Marylebone Parish Church is an Anglican church on the Marylebone Road in London. It was built to the designs of Thomas Hardwick in 1813–17. The present site is the third used by the parish for its church. The first was further south, near ...
, and was constructed in 1814 by Thomas Hardwick, who was simultaneously constructing the current St Marylebone Church. Although the church originally had extensive burial grounds, these were closed in 1855 and opened as a public garden, St. John's Wood Church Grounds, in 1886. There are thought to be around 50,000 graves, including those of the artist
John Sell Cotman John Sell Cotman (16 May 1782 – 24 July 1842) was an English Marine art, marine and Landscape painting, landscape painter, Etching, etcher, illustrator, and a leading member of the Norwich School of painters. Born in Norwich, the son of a si ...
and the prophetess
Joanna Southcott Joanna Southcott (or Southcote; April 1750 – 26 December 1814) was a British self-described religious prophetess from Devon. A "Southcottian" movement continued in various forms after her death. Early life Joanna Southcott was born in the h ...
. In 1898 the building became a chapel of ease to Christ Church, Marylebone, and increasingly became the centre of administration for the parish. After bomb damage during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
rendered St Stephen's, Avenue Road unusable, St John's Wood Church became a
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 ...
in its own right in 1952. As well as holding regular services for the community, the church hosted the society wedding of
Peggy Cripps Enid Margaret "Peggy" Appiah (''née'' Cripps), MBE ( ; 21 May 1921 – 11 February 2006), was a British children's author, philanthropist and socialite. The youngest daughter of the Rt Hon. Sir Stafford and Dame Isobel Cripps, she was th ...
to
Joe Appiah Joseph Emmanuel Appiah, MP ( ; 16 November 1918 – 8 July 1990)Eric Pace"Joe Appiah Is Dead; Ghanaian Politician And Ex-Envoy, 71" ''The New York Times'', July 12, 1990. was a Ghanaian lawyer, politician and statesman. Biography He was born ...
in June 1953, the blessing of the marriage of
Paul Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...
and
Linda McCartney Linda Louise, Lady McCartney ( Eastman; September 24, 1941 – April 17, 1998) was an American photographer, musician, cookbook author, and activist. She was the keyboardist and harmony vocalist in the band Paul McCartney and Wings, Wings tha ...
in 1969, and the funeral of
Ursula Vaughan Williams Joan Ursula Penton Vaughan Williams (née Lock, formerly Wood; 15 March 1911 – 23 October 2007) was an English poet and author, and biographer of her second husband, the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Biography Early years Ursula Vaughan ...
in 2007. A Church Hall complex was constructed in the 1970s, the completion of which was marked with the erection of a statue of the church's patron,
John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
, by
Hans Feibusch Hans Nathan FeibuschFeibusch, Hans Nathan< ...
. Restoration of the church interior took place in 1991 under the supervision of Michael Reardon, when the chancel pavement was relaid in limestone and the present central altar replaced the high altar at the east end of the church.


Present day

The church has between 130 and 150 regular worshippers, with an electoral roll of 225. Services aim to maintain "a tradition of thoughtful and intelligent preaching and teaching", as well as the church's musical tradition; in addition to a professional octet of singers leading the worship at the main Sunday service, an amateur Chamber Choir made up of members of the congregation sings Evensong once a month. The
organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...
is a three manual, 52 stop instrument by B. C. Shepherd and Sons. The building is also kept open from early morning to late afternoon every day as a place of prayer and stillness. St John's Wood Church works closely with other local churches, who together hold a monthly service with letter-writing for
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
. Clergy from St John's Wood Church also meet with representatives from the nearby
Liberal Jewish Synagogue The Liberal Jewish Synagogue (), abbreviated as LJS, is a Liberal Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in St John's Wood, in the City of Westminster, London, England, in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1911, the congregation is the oldes ...
and
London Central Mosque The London Central Mosque (also known as the Regent's Park Mosque) is an Islamic place of worship located on the edge of Regent's Park in central London. Design and location It was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, completed in 1977, and ...
to hold
scriptural reasoning Scriptural Reasoning ("SR") is one type of interdisciplinary, interfaith scriptural reading. It is an evolving practice of diverse methodologies in which Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Baháʼís, and members of other faiths, ...
discussions. During term-time the Church Hall complex is occupied by St John's Wood Pre-Preparatory School during the day, and a local youth club operates in the crypt on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings.St John's Wood Church website
"Crypt Youth Club"
Retrieved 18 November 2013.
The hall is also occasionally hired out for local residents' association meetings, and to charities such as ARC UK.


Incumbents

;Incumbents of St John's Wood Chapel * Okey Belfour, 1814–18 * Gilbert Parke, 1818–25 * Thomas Wharton, 1825–55 * Henry Sandham, 1855–95 * William Ferrar, 1896–99 * James Beaumont, 1900–15 * Edward Adams, 1915–25 * Brierley Kay, 1925–40 * Oswin Gibbs-Smith, 1941–47 * Noel Perry-Gore, 1947–52 ;Vicars of St John's Wood Church * Noel Perry-Gore, 1952–72 * Tim Raphael, 1973–83 * John Slater, 1983–2001 * Anders Bergquist, 2002–present


See also

*
Lord's Cricket Ground Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket List of Test cricket grounds, venue in St John's Wood, Westminster. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex C ...
*
List of churches in London This is a list of cathedrals, Church (building), churches and chapels in Greater London, England, which is divided into 32 London boroughs and the City of London. The list focuses on the more permanent churches and buildings which identify the ...


References


External links


The church's websiteContact details for the churchThe Church's Facebook page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Johns Wood Church St John's Wood Diocese of London Church of England church buildings in the City of Westminster 19th-century Church of England church buildings Grade II* listed churches in the City of Westminster