St Matthias Old Church
Encyclopedia
St Matthias Old Church is the modern name given to the Poplar Chapel built by the East India Company
in 1654, in Poplar
, one of the "Tower Hamlets" in the East End of London
.
for stealing stones. He died in prison in 1619,and directed that a school or hospital be founded from his estate. The Company had set up a shipyard in Blackwall
in 1614, so neighbouring Poplar was the obvious choice for location. In 1633 the inhabitants of Poplar and Blackwall - largely employees of the EIC - requested that a chapel be built there as St Dunstan's, Stepney
was too far away for them. When Gilbert Dethick
, the Lord of the Manor
of Poplar, died in 1639 he left a further £100 towards the building of the chapel, on the condition that work started within three years of his death.
The beginning of the work coincided with the outbreak of the English Civil War
. William Laud
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
was executed in 1645 after being prominently involved in debates about church architecture and internal décor. With a further bequest from Sir John Gayer, a director of the EIC, and money direct from the Company, work got properly underway in 1652 - The first payment was made to John Tanner, Master of the Bricklayers' Company
in 1654, who became the principal builder. St Matthias Old Church is one of the very few extant churches built under the Commonwealth
( others include those at Berwick-on-Tweed
, Staunton Harold
, Ninekirks
and Brougham
.) St Matthias is a brick building enhanced with stone quoins at the corners. It combines Classical and Gothic elements, similar to St Katherine Cree
in the City of London
consecrated in 1631
Internally, the barrel-vaulted roof is supported by eight Tuscan columns, seven of oak and one of stone. There is no evidence to support the story that they were made from ships' masts. This gives a Dutch
flavour to the architecture reminiscent of Hendrick de Keyser
who built several churches in Amsterdam
in the early seventeenth century.
During the eighteenth century various changes were made, a tower added (1718), a triple-decker pulpit (1733) and extensive repairs and alterations to the windows in 1775–1776 (architect: Richard Jupp
). In the early 19th century a mural monument to George Steevens
by John Flaxman
was commissioned; this is currently on loan to the Fitzwilliam Museum
, Cambridge.
For many years the Chapel was used for prayers before mariners and passengers departed on perhaps a dangerous voyage. Many early migrants to North America would have participated in these services before leaving for an uncertain future abroad. It was also the chapel of the Poplar Pensioners who lived in adjacent almshouses. They were all former seamen who had worked for the EIC. Officers had premises up by the East India Dock Road, whereas the other ranks were located on Poplar High Street.
Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857
, the EIC was wound up and Poplar Chapel became St Matthias, an Anglican Parish Church. William Milford Teulon carried out substantial changes from 1867 to 1876: a modern pulpit, font and organ were installed, the building was clad in Kentish ragstone and a chancel, vestry
and organ chamber were installed. Stained glass windows incorporating masonic
imagery were installed in 1920 by East London lodges
as a memorial to their brethren who had died in the First World War.
Poplar was heavily bombed during the Second World War, but St Matthias survived with only shards of shrapnel buried in some of the walls. However in the 1970s dwindling congregations led to a mergers and the church was declared redundant in 1977 and deconsecrated by the Church of England. After several years of dereliction English Heritage
and the London Docklands Development Corporation
(LDDC)agreed to major restoration in 1990, with the agreed use being as an "Arts Centre". As the LDDC did not have the funding to match English Heritage, LDDC decided that its contribution should be part of the necessary 'Planning Gain' required for the West India Quay 7 acres (28,328 m²) site, which they were in the process of selling. The UK agent's of the overseas purchaser, Cheval, refused to accept the 'Arts Centre' and demanded local involvement in determining future use as well as the establishment of a "sinking fund" to maintain St. Matthias in perpetuity. In 1992 the St Matthias Conservation trust was set up to preserve the building and provide use as a community centre.
The church is designated a Grade II* listed building.
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in 1654, in Poplar
Poplar, London
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...
, one of the "Tower Hamlets" in the East End of London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
.
History
In 1627 the East India Company (EIC) purchased a house in Poplar High Street to be used as a hospital for disabled seamen. In 1618 a corrupt jeweller, Hugh Greete, had been sent back from IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for stealing stones. He died in prison in 1619,and directed that a school or hospital be founded from his estate. The Company had set up a shipyard in Blackwall
Blackwall, London
Blackwall is an area of the East End of London, situated in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on the north bank of the River Thames.The district around Blackwall Stairs was known as Blackwall by at least the 14th century. This presumably derives from the colour of the river wall, constructed in...
in 1614, so neighbouring Poplar was the obvious choice for location. In 1633 the inhabitants of Poplar and Blackwall - largely employees of the EIC - requested that a chapel be built there as St Dunstan's, Stepney
St Dunstan's, Stepney
St Dunstan's, Stepney is an Anglican Church which stands on a site which has been used for Christian worship for over a thousand years. It is located in Stepney High Street, in Stepney, London Borough of Tower Hamlets.-History:...
was too far away for them. When Gilbert Dethick
Gilbert Dethick
Sir Gilbert Dethick Kt FSA was a long-serving English officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He would eventually rise to the highest heraldic office in England and serve as Garter Principal King of Arms....
, the Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Poplar, died in 1639 he left a further £100 towards the building of the chapel, on the condition that work started within three years of his death.
The beginning of the work coincided with the outbreak of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
was executed in 1645 after being prominently involved in debates about church architecture and internal décor. With a further bequest from Sir John Gayer, a director of the EIC, and money direct from the Company, work got properly underway in 1652 - The first payment was made to John Tanner, Master of the Bricklayers' Company
Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers
The Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The organisation of Tylers and Bricklayers existed in 1416; it was incorporated by a Royal Charter in 1568. Originally, the Company possessed a monopoly over bricklaying within the City of London...
in 1654, who became the principal builder. St Matthias Old Church is one of the very few extant churches built under the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
( others include those at Berwick-on-Tweed
Church of the Holy Trinity, Berwick-on-Tweed
Berwick Parish Church is an Anglican church in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. Set in the heart of Berwick town centre, it was built around the time of Oliver Cromwell and, therefore has no steeple.-History:...
, Staunton Harold
Staunton Harold
Staunton Harold is a civil parish in North West Leicestershire about north of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The parish is on the county boundary with Derbyshire and about south of Derby....
, Ninekirks
Ninekirks
Ninekirks , dedicated to Saint Ninian, was formerly the parish church of Brougham, Cumbria. It is situated on the south bank of the River Eamont near its confluence with the River Eden.-Importance:...
and Brougham
Brougham
Brougham could betransport:* Brougham , a single-engined aircraft of the 1920s and 1930s.* Brougham , a light four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage* Brougham , an automobile with a similar style; later applied to any luxurious car...
.) St Matthias is a brick building enhanced with stone quoins at the corners. It combines Classical and Gothic elements, similar to St Katherine Cree
St Katherine Cree
St Katharine Cree is a Church of England church in the Aldgate ward of the City of London, located on Leadenhall Street near Leadenhall Market.-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...
consecrated in 1631
Internally, the barrel-vaulted roof is supported by eight Tuscan columns, seven of oak and one of stone. There is no evidence to support the story that they were made from ships' masts. This gives a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
flavour to the architecture reminiscent of Hendrick de Keyser
Hendrick de Keyser
Hendrick de Keyser was a Dutch sculptor and architect born in Utrecht, Netherlands, who was instrumental in establishing a late Renaissance form of Mannerism in Amsterdam...
who built several churches in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in the early seventeenth century.
During the eighteenth century various changes were made, a tower added (1718), a triple-decker pulpit (1733) and extensive repairs and alterations to the windows in 1775–1776 (architect: Richard Jupp
Richard Jupp
Richard Jupp was an 18th century English architect, particularly associated with buildings in and around London.He served for many years Richard Jupp (1728 – 17 April 1799) was an 18th century English architect, particularly associated with buildings in and around London.He served for many years...
). In the early 19th century a mural monument to George Steevens
George Steevens
George Steevens was an English Shakespearean commentator.He was born at Poplar, the son of a captain and later director of the East India Company. He was educated at Eton College and at King's College, Cambridge, where he remained from 1753 to 1756...
by John Flaxman
John Flaxman
John Flaxman was an English sculptor and draughtsman.-Early life:He was born in York. His father was also named John, after an ancestor who, according to family tradition, had fought for Parliament at the Battle of Naseby, and afterwards settled as a carrier or farmer in Buckinghamshire...
was commissioned; this is currently on loan to the Fitzwilliam Museum
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge, England. It receives around 300,000 visitors annually. Admission is free....
, Cambridge.
For many years the Chapel was used for prayers before mariners and passengers departed on perhaps a dangerous voyage. Many early migrants to North America would have participated in these services before leaving for an uncertain future abroad. It was also the chapel of the Poplar Pensioners who lived in adjacent almshouses. They were all former seamen who had worked for the EIC. Officers had premises up by the East India Dock Road, whereas the other ranks were located on Poplar High Street.
Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
, the EIC was wound up and Poplar Chapel became St Matthias, an Anglican Parish Church. William Milford Teulon carried out substantial changes from 1867 to 1876: a modern pulpit, font and organ were installed, the building was clad in Kentish ragstone and a chancel, vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
and organ chamber were installed. Stained glass windows incorporating masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
imagery were installed in 1920 by East London lodges
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
as a memorial to their brethren who had died in the First World War.
Poplar was heavily bombed during the Second World War, but St Matthias survived with only shards of shrapnel buried in some of the walls. However in the 1970s dwindling congregations led to a mergers and the church was declared redundant in 1977 and deconsecrated by the Church of England. After several years of dereliction English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
and the London Docklands Development Corporation
London Docklands Development Corporation
The London Docklands Development Corporation was a quango agency set up by the UK Government in 1981 to regenerate the depressed Docklands area of east London. During its eighteen-year existence it was responsible for regenerating an area of in the London Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and...
(LDDC)agreed to major restoration in 1990, with the agreed use being as an "Arts Centre". As the LDDC did not have the funding to match English Heritage, LDDC decided that its contribution should be part of the necessary 'Planning Gain' required for the West India Quay 7 acres (28,328 m²) site, which they were in the process of selling. The UK agent's of the overseas purchaser, Cheval, refused to accept the 'Arts Centre' and demanded local involvement in determining future use as well as the establishment of a "sinking fund" to maintain St. Matthias in perpetuity. In 1992 the St Matthias Conservation trust was set up to preserve the building and provide use as a community centre.
The church is designated a Grade II* listed building.
External links
- A page from Tower Hamlets History Online with a detailed history
- History at St. Matthias Community Centre website