St Margaret's, Lee
Encyclopedia
The parish church of St Margaret of Antioch, Lee, was built between 1839 and 1841 in a simple early Victorian style (to a design by Norwich architect John Brown), replacing an older mediaeval church dating to around 1120. It is Anglican and is located on the south side of Lee Terrace/Belmont Hill, in Lee Green, south-east London
.
Extensive and lavish interior decoration was carried out between 1875 and 1900.
By 1980 it had fallen into dilapidation and an extensive 20-year restoration programme was carried out. On completion of the restoration, the church is one of the best preserved examples of a decorated gothic revivalist
interior in London.
The ruins of the original building are in the mediaeval churchyard on the north side of Lee Terrace. The tomb of Edmond Halley
(1656–1742), from 1720 England's second Astronomer Royal
and the discoverer of Halley's Comet is in the churchyard, one of three Astronomers Royal buried at St Margaret's (Nathaniel Bliss
and John Pond
are the others).
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Extensive and lavish interior decoration was carried out between 1875 and 1900.
By 1980 it had fallen into dilapidation and an extensive 20-year restoration programme was carried out. On completion of the restoration, the church is one of the best preserved examples of a decorated gothic revivalist
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
interior in London.
The ruins of the original building are in the mediaeval churchyard on the north side of Lee Terrace. The tomb of Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley FRS was an English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist who is best known for computing the orbit of the eponymous Halley's Comet. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, following in the footsteps of John Flamsteed.-Biography and career:Halley...
(1656–1742), from 1720 England's second Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....
and the discoverer of Halley's Comet is in the churchyard, one of three Astronomers Royal buried at St Margaret's (Nathaniel Bliss
Nathaniel Bliss
The Reverend Nathaniel Bliss was an English astronomer of the 18th century, serving as Britain's fourth Astronomer Royal between 1762 and 1764....
and John Pond
John Pond
John Pond FRS was a renowned English astronomer who became the sixth Astronomer Royal, serving from 1811 to 1835.- Biography :...
are the others).