Stanmore churches and W.S Gilbert

Mas and I, feeling somewhat stir crazy, decided to have a pub lunch in Stanmore. After lunch we went for a short walk through Stanmore for a bit of exercise, and because I wanted to look at the church which I had only seen in passing before.

In the church grounds there is a ruin which is securely locked, but a notice says that it can be viewed from April onwards. Being curious about the history of the church I found that there had been several churches on the same site.

The first that is known about was built in the 6th Century by Saxons, after they conquered London. The second church on this site was built in the 14th Century, dedicated to St. Mary.

The third replaced St.Mary's in 1632, and was the first church made of brick in England. It was dedicated to St. John and was consecrated by the Bishop of London,William Laud. After the civil war William Laud, who was then the Archbishop of Canterbury, was put on trial for High Treason because he had consecrated three churches (including this one) and it was considered a papist tradition. He was beheaded at Tower Hill on 10.1.1645.

The present church was built close to the ruin. The foundation stone was laid in the presence of the Dowager Queen Adelaide (married previously to William IV, and aunt to Queen Victoria), who was residing in Bentley Priory at the time. This Anglican church, named St. John the Evangelist was consecrated in 1850.

Sir William Schwenck Gilbert is buried here: Dramatist, librettist, poet, illustrator who worked with Sir Arthur Sullivan to write 14 comic operas.

After this we went home for a cup of tea to get warm again.