Church of St Mary, Hampstead

Introduction

The Church of St Mary in Hampstead is one of the earliest Roman Catholic churches built in England after the Reformation. The church's chapel was the first permanent Catholic chapel built in Hampstead since the Reformation.

History

The Abbé Jean-Jacques Morel arrived in Hampstead in 1796 as a refugee from the French Revolution. Before the chapel was built, the congregation worshipped at Oriel House in Little Church Row, which was rented for the purpose.

St Mary's was opened and blessed on 17 August 1816 by Dr William Poynter, Vicar Apostolic of the London District. In 1878 the interior of the church was refurbished, with two new side altars designed by Gilbert Scott, GF Bodley and TF Garner. In 1935 the Baldachino designed by Adrian Gilbert Scott was placed over the altar. In 1976, following the Second Vatican Council, the sanctuary was reordered: the original stone altar was redesigned to face the congregation and a new baptismal font was placed nearby.

The church was consecrated in 1997. In 2014 a new tabernacle was installed in the sanctuary behind the main altar. Graham Greene was married to Vivienne Dayrell-Browning at Saint Mary's on 15th October 1927. The architect William Wardell designed the present exterior, incorporating buttresses and other changes into an italianate design. The original chapel was a small box-shaped building with a presbytery, completed by the summer following less than a year of work.

Architecture and furnishings

The original chapel was considerably smaller, extending only to the end of the present nave; the sanctuary and side chapels were added after 1907. The church is the centre-piece of an informal terrace formed by Nos 1-4 and Nos 5-8 Holly Place. The exterior has a projecting central entrance bay rising through the gable end to form a segmental pedimented bellcote surmounted by a cross. The interior has a 3-bay nave with arched windows, vaulted and mosaic transept chapels, and a vaulted 3-bay sanctuary with marble and mosaic baldacchino.

The baldacchino has inset oil paintings of holy scenes, by Adrian Gilbert Scott who also designed the altar. The black marble slab covering the grave of the Abbé Morel is set into the floor in front of the main door. The painting of the Assumption of the Virgin behind the main altar was bought on the Continent by founder Mr George Armstrong and presented to St Mary's on behalf of his daughter Frances Hall. The decoration of the sanctuary with its elaborate mosaics was carried out by the firm of G.L. Simpson & Son of Saint Martin's Lane in London.

The organ was rebuilt by Bishop & Son in 1991 as a two manual extension instrument. The central panel of the tabernacle shows Christ in Majesty surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists. The Blessed Sacrament chapel to the right of the main altar has been returned to its original dedication to Saint Joseph.

Music and liturgy

The organ at the church was very old and had to be pumped by hand, producing a loud rhythmic clunk throughout the Sung Mass. On 27 January 2012, the church held its first funeral according to the ceremonial obsequies for a Polish Knight of Malta. Justice & Peace initiatives at St Mary's exist to encourage work for Justice and Peace by promoting liaison and communication among parish groups and individuals.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The parish offers Baptism courses upon request. The Baptism class is for new parents, providing an opportunity to talk about faith in the family and the commitment to God when seeking Baptism for a child. Children are prepared for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion with weekly classes in the Parish Room in the presbytery. Adult Confirmation preparation is available upon request. The parish holds a face-to-face Marriage Preparation course in May run by married couples from the parish.

Visiting

The parish has a St Vincent de Paul Society group that organises Christmas fairs and fundraising events. The parish holds a May procession at the Marcellina Sisters Convent in Ellerdale Road and a Corpus Christi procession at St Dorothy's Convent in Frognal. The parish holds a Bicentenary Closing Mass on 11 September 2016.