St Matthias Church stands proudly in Vepery. Its history is woven into the very fabric of this Chennai neighborhood. Vepery one of Chennai’s oldest areas blossomed during the British settlement.
Christian missionaries arrived in Vepery as early as 1749. This was soon after the city was returned to the English from the French. The Vepery Mission became the oldest Church of England mission in India. This demonstrates the area’s early importance in spreading Christianity.
In 1828 St Matthias Church was built. It became the second oldest Anglican Church in Chennai. The church was officially consecrated in 1842 by Bishop Spencer of Madras. Imagine the ceremony. The grandeur of the event. The significance for the community.
The Madras Parental Academic Institution and Doveton College were established in Vepery in 1855. Doveton’s name honors Captain John Doveton. He was a commandant in the Seventh Regiment of Infantry. This illustrates the area’s role in education and military history.
Vepery boasts many landmarks. These include Periyar Thidal the Commissioner of Police’s office and the SPCA. Doveton Tower Clock is a notable landmark. The Vepery Police Station and the Sambhavnath Jain temple also stand in Vepery.
Educational institutions thrived in Vepery. Madras Veterinary College and P T Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker Polytechnic College are located there. St Christopher’s College of Education and Guru Shree Shanthivijai Jain College for Women are also present. Many schools enriched Vepery’s landscape. These included St Matthias Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School and the Doveton Corrie Group of Schools. Bentinck Higher Secondary School for Girls and St Joseph Anglo Indian Boys Higher Secondary School are among others.
Vepery’s streets tell stories. Vepery High Road Jermiah Road Barracks Road and EVK Sampath Road are important thoroughfares. Maddox Street Brethapeat Road Vepery Church Road Atkinson Road and Ritherdon Road also define Vepery. Each street holds its own unique stories of those who lived and worked there. Each street a testament to Vepery’s rich past.
Vepery’s story continues. Its past is etched in its architecture its people and its spirit. It stands as a vibrant example of Chennai’s history. Vepery. A timeless neighborhood in the heart of Chennai.