St Leonard's, Shoreditch
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| St. Leonard's, Shoreditch | |
|---|---|
 18th century print of St. Leonard's
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| Information | |
| Denomination | Church of England, earlier Roman Catholic |
| Contact particulars | |
| Address | London Borough of Hackney |
| Country | United Kingdom |
St Leonard's, Shoreditch is the ancient parish church of Shoreditch, often known simply as Shoreditch Church. It is located at the intersection of Shoreditch High Street with Hackney Road, within the London Borough of Hackney. The current building dates from about 1740. The church is mentioned in the line "When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch" from the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons[1] and is noted as being the resting place of many actors from the Tudor period.
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[edit] Origins
- See also: Shoreditch parish, for the civil and ecclesiastical history of the parish.
The original church is possibly Saxon in origin, though the first historical reference to it occurs in the 12th century.
The church has historical theatrical ties due to its location near to the first purpose built theatre called The Theatre and also in close proximity to the Curtain Theatre.[2] It is also noted as the burial place of several members of the theatrical profession, from the Elizabethan period, including:
- James Burbage, the founder of The Theatre, England's first playhouse, built in Shoreditch in 1576.
- His son Richard, who was the leading man in many of Shakespeare's plays, which were first performed in the contemporary Shoreditch theatres.
- The comedian Richard Tarlton, who was a stalwart of the pre-Shakespearian stage.
These, with others of their profession from the period, are commemorated by a large classical memorial erected by the London Shakespeare League in 1913, inside the church, which serves as a reminder of Shoreditch's Shakespearian heritage.
In 1774, the Shoreditch Vestry levied a special poor rate for the purpose of setting up a workhouse for the parish of St Leonard's which highlights the level of poverty in the area.[3]
[edit] Current building
Following the partial collapse of the tower in 1716 the medieval church was rebuilt in Palladian style built by George Dance the Elder in 1736 - 1740,[4] with a soaring steeple 192 feet tall, an imitation of Christopher Wren's magnificent steeple on St Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside,[5] and a giant four columned, pedimented Tuscan portico. Inside the church the entablature is supported by giant Doric columns. The new church was designed by George Dance, architect of the Mansion House. Many original 18th century fixtures and fittings remain, including the font, the pulpit, the communion table, clock, organ case, bread cupboards and commandment boards. It was lit with gaslight in 1817, the first in London.
The parish stocks and whipping post stand in the porch of the church and in the churchyard is the Shoreditch parish pump.
[edit] Distinguished parishioners
James Parkinson (1755-1824), after whom Parkinson's disease is named, and who lived at Hoxton Square nearby, is commemorated with a stone tablet inside the church; his grave is in the churchyard.
John George Appold, FRS (1800–1865), a pioneer of the centrifugal pump, is commemorated with a stone tablet inside the church.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ The Centre of Attention at Shoreditch Church accessed 06/01/08
- ^ The Bells of Shoreditch accessed 06/01/08
- ^ The Bells of Shoreditch accessed 06/01/08
- ^ The Centre of Attention at Shoreditch Church accessed 06/01/08
- ^ The Centre of Attention at Shoreditch Church accessed 06/01/08
Notes
- Cherry, B and Pevsner, N (1998) The Buildings of England. London 4: North. Penguin.
- Sugden, K. (n.d) Under Hackney: The Archaeological Story. (Friends of Hackney Archives).
[edit] External links
