Southwark Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of St. Saviour and St. Mary Overie, has a…read morefascinating history that dates back over a thousand years. Its origins can be traced to a monastery founded in AD 606 by Mellitus, the first Bishop of London. The original structure was a wooden building and was later rebuilt in stone around the 9th century. Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone various renovations and additions, resulting in the magnificent structure we see today. The location of Southwark Cathedral is of great historical significance. It stands on the south bank of the River Thames, near the site of the ancient Roman bridge that connected the City of London with the southern part of the country Inside the cathedral, children can discover a rich collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts that span different periods and styles. The Cathedral has a lovely garden which is a haven at all times of year but especially in the summer. A quiet space to sit for a while. Whilst the lovely cafe serving delicious coffee and cakes is a nice way to escape the crowds of London bridge

I chanced upon this spot as I was going through Borough Market and I am so glad I did. So much…read morehistory and splendor at this cathedral. I spent some time meditating in the pews and had a wonderful visit overall. It's free entrance as well which is nice.

I'm very lucky because I get to see this amazing building every day, Im not a part of the church,…read morebut I can appreciate the beauty of the building, but for thise who are, this beautiful Victorian Gothic Anglican church that was built in 1864, is a part of the Diocese of London. They have a service every Sunday at 10:00 am. Everyone is welcome, even if you are not religious but you have the spirit for singing. Or just to see it up close, this church is beautiful and worth a look.

The parish church of St Nicholas in Compton has the double honour of being Surrey's best Norman…read morechurch, and of possessing England's only two-storeyed sanctuary. It is well worth a visit. The lower part of the tower and the corners of the nave date from the earlier Saxon church. The Norman work is in two phases: the chancel arch and chancel date from 1080-1100, and the aisles with their solid, rounded arcades, together with the upper sanctuary, date from 1160-80. The only major later addition was the upper part of the tower with its shingle broached spire, in the late 13th or 14th centuries. The porch is Victorian. Inside, the whitewash reveals a wealth of Norman decoration. The chancel arch has fine dogtooth carving, and the capitals of the arcade piers have scalloped and crude foliage designs. The east nave wall has the remains of an unusual 15th century painted decoration, of stepped cubes in perspective, instead of the usual Judgement. The chancel is a gem: the lower sanctuary is framed by an exquisite arch with roll mouldings, saw-tooth and dog-tooth ornament. The balustrade of the lower sanctuary is Jacobean, c. 1620 (as are the fine pulpit and screen), but this is outshone by the Romanesque balustrade of the upper sanctuary: this is original Norman work (c. 1180), making it the oldest architectural timberwork in situ in England. Squints to the north and south chancel walls may relate to anchorite cells: that on the south side may have been a chantry chapel. An ancient wooden staircase joins the two sanctuaries. The fittings and fixtures are equally rich: the north aisle and lower sanctuary have 14th and 15th century tomb recesses, and piscinas and aumbries abound. The chancel arch has rare Crusader graffiti, a 12th century image of a knight with a pointed helmet, with crosses and intersecting circles. The east window has 13th century stained glass of the Virgin and Child, and in the nave floor are brasses to the Thomas Genning and his family (d. 1508), though sadly with some of the images missing. The church has no fewer than four services on a Sunday. After your visit, the nearby Watts Cemetery Chapel provides a striking contrast of Arts and Crafts workmanship.

It is many many years since I went inside St Nichols Church and it warms my heart looking at the…read morephotographs to see that it has not been ripped apart in the name of 'modernisation' It is one wish on my 'bucket list' to visit the Church again - there is no reason why I should not and would choose a fine warm Sunday to journey up from Bognor Regis - it is not a million miles away - and mingle in with the congregation. I spent a few years of my childhood living in Binscombe but then it was just a little village - a far cry from that now, and what was the road is now a pavement! Thank you so much for preserving some of our heritage I know it isn't an easy task, while nothing lasts forever! it would be so sad to loose everything at this point in time...

Beautiful and historic Catholic church in the City of London. See their website for the church's…read morelong history. There is a relic of Saint Etheldreda to the right of the altar. I attended the 9am Mass last Sunday with about three dozen others. It was a solemn, reverential experience. It is inspiring to find a quiet place to pray in a corner of London devoted to buying and selling. However, as a note to fellow Yanks, there was minimal music (just instrumental organ as a prelude before Mass) and Father did not offer the chalice to the assembly. I don't know if this is typical of English liturgy, but it matches my limited experience in England and Ireland.

"The Church is a perpetually defeated thing that always outlives her conquerors." --Hilaire Belloc…read more I woke up early and jet-lagged on a Sunday morning, and decided to walk to church, armed with nothing but a screenshot of a map taken while I still had hotel wifi. Even still, St. Etheldreda's Church was not easy to find. It lay hidden behind a small unattended gate that read, "Ely Place", tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac of residences and businesses. Eventually walking through the doors and down the entry corridor, I wasn't prepared for the incredible beauty and serenity of this 12th century church. It's difficulty to locate was almost a metaphor for it's entrance. Large wooden medieval doors opened to a long well-lit corridor that led up a few steps through another vestibule. From there, older looking doors opened to a darker space, illuminated predominately by the sunlight filtering through stained glass panels depicting the lives of saints, apostles, and Jesus Christ. The faint scent of old wood and stone gave a sense of how ancient this place was. Because I was late from getting a bit lost, Mass was already in progress. It was a beautiful and traditional service. I stayed a bit longer to sit in this secluded, mystical place to pray. On the way out, I met one of the choir members who invited me to stay for the 11AM Mass that is sung in Latin. I wish I could have but my hubs had many tours planned for us that day. I did stay to listen to them practice a bit and was in awe of their angelic voices. A historical note: Because of the Reformation, most Catholic churches did not survive and were either destroyed or taken over by the Church of England. St. Etheldreda's was converted for a while, but was reclaimed by the Catholic faith in 1874, making it one of the few in London, and definitely the oldest.

The graveyard & garden:- Of all the most astonishing graves…read moreto find,. I think this one beats them all : a grave of a King in a simple churchyard Grave of Theodore, King of Corsica 1756 After leaving King's Bench Prison for insolvency,he was forced to register his Kingdom for the use of his creditors. Walpole writes : "It says, the grave, great teacher, to a level brings:Heroes & beggars,galley slaves & Kings.But Theodore, this moral learned 'ere dead : Fate poured its lessons on his living head; bestowed a Kingdom, & denied him bread" & there's also David Williams, buried here 56 years later, Founder of the Royal Literary Fund which helps impoverished writers The entrance in Dean Street :- leads to the church, a community garden, rooms where the AA meets, & Soho Time Bank run by the vivacious & energetic Paola

I stopped by this delightful little church on my most recent trip through London. My impession of…read morethe church is that it's an open and inclusive church which (even though I'm not a religious person) seems like the message that a church should be giving. Beautiful on the inside, the gardens were wonderful. Worth a little stop if you're around the area.

St Mary's is a lovely Georgian church, and one of the oldest places of worship on the south bank of…read morethe Thames in London. There has been a place of worship on this site since around 800AD (it celebrated 1,200 years in 2000) but the present building was erected 1775-77 to replace the mediaeval church, which was becoming increasingly dilapidated. The architect was Joseph Dixon, who delivered a classical Georgian church with a Doric portico, surmounted by a tower and spire, all executed in brick with stone dressings. The interior comprises a large nave with galleries on three sides and a small apsidal sanctuary. The East window looks out of place, as it is Gothic in style: in fact it was recycled from the old church; dated to 1631, it is attributed to Bernard van Linge, in stained and enamelled glass. Other windows are also of interest, and reflect some of the famous former members of the congregation: the poet William Blake married Catherine Boucher here in 1792, and Turner is reputed to have painted the river from the vestry window at the front of the church. Americans will be interested that Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), the Revolutionary traitor, is buried in the crypt. The church is the home of a vibrant congregation, with worship in the modern catholic style.

I've long loved Dixon's architectural achievements; it's true…read more That said, I came here to see a) where Benedict Arnold was buried, and b) where William Blake was married. Handsome neo-classical nave

The church itself has not much to offer, but I was lucky enough to have an chance to visit its…read morecrypt during the Illumini Festival last year. I already knew that the area beneath the vicinity of the church is a site of a massive graveyard, but I wasn't aware that there is a piles of lead coffins stuck in the basement of the church can be seen by the candle light. What's interesting is that the crypt is a place of burial of many of the most significant figures of Elizabethan and Shakespearean theatre, includinf Richard Burbage, the first actor to ever play Hamlet. The guided tour was lead by the Rev'd. Paul Turp, who surprisingly lives in Hoxton Squre (unusual for a priest to live in the party hub of the town, isn't it?) and loves the vibe of Shoreditch! During a 90-minute walk in the dark tunnels of the church crypt (mind the bones lying aroud here and there) you can hear interesting facts from the local history, grim urban legends and ghost stories, passionately presented by the vicar who clearly enjoy talking about the corpses and tombs. We were told that walks can be arranged with the priest, but you'd better check it up. But if you don't fancy spooky stuff, they organize exhibitions and concerts every now and then, just check their website for details.

When I set myself the task of reviewing the churches in the rhyme 'Oranges and Lemons' I wasn't…read moreexpecting to have problems with the closest Thing is St Leonards is not a tourist church, and is not generally left open. Though it has a banner outside advertising a drop in session each afternoon, I wandered round at the right time and could find no sign of anyone around. It seems the only time to actually get inside is during Sunday service. Not being a Christian I'm not sure it's appropriate for me to go sightseeing at such a time! So, I've not been inside In the rhyme St Leonards is the 'Bells of Shoreditch' ('When I am rich, said the bells of Shoreditch'), a line possibly referring to the long standing poverty of the area. Though one source I've read reckons the rhyme originally referred to Fleetditch and the bells were at St Brides. The church was founded in the 12 Century, but after a collapse (during a service what's more) in 1716, it was rebuilt in the 1730's, with a spire copying St Mary-le-Bow church in Cheapside. The church is quite grand in appearance from outside, though the tightly sealed doors and grated windows are just a little depressing The churchyard is rumoured to contain the remains of the town stocks, though again one source I have says they have been removed, and I didn't find them. I did find what appeared to be a rusted water pump. The church was close to the first two theatres (The Theatre, and The Curtain Theatre), and as such was the original actor's church. Richard Burbage, builder of the Curtain Theatre and the first person to play Hamlet, is buried there. It's also the resting place of Dr James Parkinson, who gave his name to Parkinson's Disease. It's not an official site, but for those who are interested a more in-depth history of the church can be read at http://www.ourpasthistory.com/England/st-leonards-shoreditch

St Dunstans church is a hidden gem and a relatively unknown slice of East-End history. Located…read morejust a stone's throw away from Stepney Green Park and opposite a rather bizarre farm, the church boasts 1000 years of history and each turn reveals eye-catching features like gravestones dating from the Civil War and etchings of its patron Dunstan beneath a set of tongs, symbolic of his connection to metalwork. There are two particularly fascinating stories of St Dunstan outlined in a brochure you can pick up by the entrance to the building. The first tells of a day when Dunstan was approached by the devil whilst he was busy with his metalwork. The devil attempted to tempt Dunstan to evil pleasures but Dunstan, the crafty so-and-so, pulled his red-hot tongs from the furnace and saw the devil off by tweaking him on the nose. The second story also takes place at the metalworks and the devil again approached Dunstan, this time riding his horse. The devil requested Dunstan shoe his horse but the crafty Dunstan instead attached a shoe to the hoof of the devil. In return for releasing him Dunstan made the devil promise to never enter a house where a horseshoe hung over the door. It is from this story that we get the legend of the lucky horse shoe. Dunstan founded his church in the 10th century and at one time it served the entire population of Middlesex east of the City of London. The current building is the third church to have been built on the site and dates mainly from the 15th century though the chancel is 200 years older. It is a truly beautiful building with a rich and vibrant history and the perfect place to see a piece of London free from the general milieu of tourist spots.

A few weeks ago I got lost on my bike trying to find an art gallery and stumbled upon St Dunstan's…read more I was immediately smitten. To begin with, it's old. It's also not at all ostentatious, which seems fitting for the style of its East London parishioners. Furthermore, it somehow survived the Blitz when the balance of the neighbourhood was obliterated. I hesitate to write 'miraculous', but it really doesn't get much more uncanny than that.