Isn’t it astonishing? English Martyrs Church Hall stands as a testament to faith community and resilience.
English Martyrs Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Tower Hill London. Its hall has served the community since the late 19th century.
In 1864 Cardinal Wiseman authorized the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to set up a mission at Tower Hill. The mission was founded the following year by Fr Robert Cooke. He was the Vicar Provincial. A temporary corrugated iron building was erected at the back of the present site. It served as both church and school.
Archbishop Manning opened and blessed this temporary church on 12 December 1866. In 1870-72 it was replaced by a school building with a chapel on the top floor.
On 18 May 1873 Archbishop Manning laid the foundation stone for the current English Martyrs Church. Edward Welby Pugin designed it. Building work was delayed because of difficulties in acquiring the freehold title for the site. Building resumed in 1875. After Pugin’s death on 5 June his brothers Cuthbert Welby and Peter Paul continued. They traded as Pugin and Pugin. Cardinal Manning opened and dedicated the church on 22 June 1876. Site constraints and the size of the mission dictated maximizing of space by the insertion of galleries. In the 1870s the mission had some 6000 people. Mr Lascelles of Bunhill Row was the builder. The contract sum was £10000.
In 1881 the presbytery at 26 Prescot Street was rebuilt by Pugin and Pugin. The Carthusians donated to fit it out in memory of one of their brethren executed in 1535. In the 1890s the school behind the English Martyrs Church required some alterations and additions. This resulted in the demolition of the original sacristy. It was then incorporated in the presbytery.
In 1930 the high altar became a shrine to the English Martyrs. This was in anticipation of the canonization of Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher. Additional statuary was added. Also a wrought-iron grille with the arms of ten martyrs and the east window with thirty-two martyrs were added. In 1940 a 500kg bomb damaged the English Martyrs Church. It fell through the roof damaging the side wall. The bomb destroyed the pulpit but did not explode. In 1970 the school moved to a new site in St Mark Street. The old school became a community centre.
In 1985 the Holy Family Sisters left. Their convent at 24 Prescot Street the former presbytery at no. 26 and the 1870-72 school building to the rear were all demolished. The site was redeveloped as part of Juno Court at 24-26 Prescot Street. The parish priest moved into an early nineteenth-century house on the west side of the English Martyrs Church no. 30.
In 1991 the sanctuary was restored and the church redecorated. In 2007 the English Martyrs Church received a grant of £123000. This was under the Repair of Listed Places of Worship scheme. It paid for the repair of the roof and the painting of the interior.
Today the English Martyrs Church Hall continues to serve as a vital space. It is for meetings events and community activities. Its walls echo with the stories of generations who have gathered within.
As you stand before English Martyrs Church Hall remember its history. Remember its role in serving the Tower Hill community. It is more than just a building. It is a symbol of faith resilience and community spirit. A place where memories are made and history continues to unfold.