St Clement Danes - Strand, London, UK
N 51° 30.783 W 000° 06.850
30U E 700237 N 5710829
St Clement Danes church stands on a traffic island in the Strand. The first church, on this site, was built in the 9th century. The current church was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and suffered extensive damage during the Second World War.
Waymark Code: WMF5ND
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/27/2012
Views: 11
The church is open daily between 9am and 4pm (excpet Bank
Holidays). Te notice board, outside the church, advises that the Sunday service
is held at 11am and at 12.30pm on Wednesday and Fridays.
The RAF website [visit link] tells of the church prior to
1941:
"For over 1,000 years a church has stood on this
spot.
Tradition holds that it was originally built by Danes
expelled from the City of London by King Alfred in the ninth
century.
It is mentioned in William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book
(1086) and for nearly 150 years was in the care of the Knights Templar
(1170-1312).
The church escaped damage in the Great Fire of London
(1666) but was rebuilt in 1681 by Christopher Wren and a steeple was added to
the tower by James Gibbs in 1719.
On 10 May 1941 incendiary bombs gutted the building
leaving only the walls and tower standing, so ending another chapter in its rich
history."
And since 1958 [visit link]:
"In 1953 the church was handed into the keeping of the
Air Council and a world-wide appeal was launched to rebuild St Clement
Danes.
Bequests and donations from organisations and
individuals poured in so that the necessary £250,000 (that’s over £4m in current
funds) was raised and within two years restoration work could
begin.
Re-consecrated in 1958 as a perpetual shrine of
remembrance to those killed on active service and those of the Allied Air Forces
who gave their lives during the Second World War, it is a living church prayed
in daily and visited throughout the year by thousands seeking solace and
reflection.
See photos from the celebrations surrounding the 90th
Anniversary of the formation of the Royal Air Force in the
Gallery."
The church is Grade I listed and the entry at the English
Heritage website [visit link] tells us:
"Church of St Clement Danes G.V. I
Church. Rebuild of 1680-82 by Sir Christopher Wren, reusing but recasing C15
masonry of west tower, which above the clock stage was completed with spire by
James Gibbs in 1719. Gutted in World War II and restored 1955-58 by W A S Lloyd.
Portland stone. West tower and steeple, apsidal east end. The tower is flanked
by 2-storey domed lobbies with segmental headed doorways, heavy porch projecting
from tower base; Gibbs surrounds to bell stage openings, the steeple rising in 3
diminishing octagonal stages, the middle one with concave entablature. Squat
lower register windows to sides with tall semicircular arched windows in
architraves above,lighting galleries. Restored interior with broad tunnel vault,
galleries and groin vaulted aisles, the latter, uniquely in a Wren church, being
continued as ambulatory round east end with further semi-domed apse
added."