St. George's Cathedral, London
Encyclopedia
St George's Cathedral is an Antiochian Orthodox
church in the London Borough of Camden
. From 1837 to 1989 it was an Anglican church called Christ Church. It lies off Albany Street
St Pancras
.
It was originally built by Sir James Pennethorne
to serve the largely working class district of Cumberland Market
. Consecrated as an Anglican church in 1837, it established itself firmly within the Oxford Movement
. The steeple is unusually small in comparison with the main body of the church. There is almost no decoration on the outside. It was frequented by Christina Rossetti
who lived in Albany Street for a couple of years. Her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti
produced "Sermon on the Mount", a stained-glass window for this church (a second copy is elsewhere).
A school grew up on Redhill Street near the church, called Christ Church Primary School. On 26 January 1950 the church hosted the funeral service of George Orwell
, as it was near to both Middlesex Hospital
where he died; and BBC Broadcasting House
, where he worked.
In 1974, the early music
group called the Albany Consort was founded at this church. In 1989 it ceased to be a place of Anglican
worship and became St George's Cathedral. With St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate
in the City of London
it is one of two Antiochan churches in London. A new roof was built in the year 2000.
The church was designated a Grade II* listed building on 10 June 1954.
Antiochian Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, also known as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East and the Antiochian Orthodox Church , is an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity...
church in the London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
. From 1837 to 1989 it was an Anglican church called Christ Church. It lies off Albany Street
Albany Street
Albany Street is a road in London running from Marylebone Road to Gloucester Gate following the east side of Regent's Park. It is about three-quarters of a mile in length....
St Pancras
St Pancras, London
St Pancras is an area of London. For many centuries the name has been used for various officially-designated areas, but now is used informally and rarely having been largely superseded by several other names for overlapping districts.-Ancient parish:...
.
It was originally built by Sir James Pennethorne
James Pennethorne
Sir James Pennethorne was a notable 19th century English architect and planner, particularly associated with buildings and parks in central London.-Life:...
to serve the largely working class district of Cumberland Market
Cumberland Market
Cumberland Market was a London market between Regent's Park and Euston railway station. It was built in the early 19th century and was London's hay and straw market for a hundred years until the late 1920s. An arm of the Regent's Canal was built to the market. The market was surrounded by modest...
. Consecrated as an Anglican church in 1837, it established itself firmly within the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
. The steeple is unusually small in comparison with the main body of the church. There is almost no decoration on the outside. It was frequented by Christina Rossetti
Christina Rossetti
Christina Georgina Rossetti was an English poet who wrote a variety of romantic, devotional, and children's poems...
who lived in Albany Street for a couple of years. Her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English poet, illustrator, painter and translator. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848 with William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, and was later to be the main inspiration for a second generation of artists and writers influenced by the movement,...
produced "Sermon on the Mount", a stained-glass window for this church (a second copy is elsewhere).
A school grew up on Redhill Street near the church, called Christ Church Primary School. On 26 January 1950 the church hosted the funeral service of George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
, as it was near to both Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital
The Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, United Kingdom. First opened in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally closed in 2005. Its staff and services were transferred to various sites...
where he died; and BBC Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is the headquarters and registered office of the BBC in Portland Place and Langham Place, London.The building includes the BBC Radio Theatre from where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience...
, where he worked.
In 1974, the early music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
group called the Albany Consort was founded at this church. In 1989 it ceased to be a place of Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
worship and became St George's Cathedral. With St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate
St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate
St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate is a Church of England church in the City of London, first mentioned in 1212 and dedicated to St Botolph.The nearest London Underground station is Liverpool Street.-History:...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
it is one of two Antiochan churches in London. A new roof was built in the year 2000.
The church was designated a Grade II* listed building on 10 June 1954.