Think of the countless stories echoing within these walls of St Margaret of Antioch. This isn’t just a church. It’s a chronicle of London itself.
St Margaret of Antioch stands in the grounds of Westminster Abbey. It is dedicated to Margaret of Antioch. The church forms a World Heritage Site together with the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey.
Back in the 12th century Benedictine monks founded St Margaret of Antioch. They wanted a simpler parish church for locals near the Abbey. The monks needed to worship without disturbance from the locals. Before St Margaret’s, locals came to Westminster to hear Mass and disturbed the monks.
Hensley Henson a former Rector reported a medieval tradition. The church was as old as Westminster Abbey. Both shared origins from the same royal saint. He said that the two churches stood side by side for over eight centuries. They were not the existing fabrics, but older churches on the same site.
King Henry VII instigated a rebuild from 1486 to 1523. The new St Margaret’s was consecrated on 9 April 1523. It was the last London church decorated in Catholic tradition before the Reformation. Painted statues of St Mary and St John flanked a large rood cross. The building housed several internal chapels.
In the 1540s demolition threatened St Margaret’s. Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset wanted materials for Somerset House. Armed parishioners resisted his plan and saved the church.
By 1614 St Margaret’s became the Palace of Westminster’s parish church. Puritans found the Abbey too liturgical. They preferred St Margaret’s for Parliamentary services. This practice continues even today. An additional detached burial ground was added in 1625. It is now Christchurch Gardens.
Between 1734 and 1738 John James rebuilt the north-west tower. At the same time the entire structure was encased in Portland stone. Later J. L. Pearson added the eastern and western porches. In 1878 Sir George Gilbert Scott greatly restored and altered the interior. Many Tudor features were retained.
Interestingly during restoration in 1863 doors possibly covered with human skin were found. Doctors examined it and historians theorized it was William the Sacrist’s skin. William organized a gang that robbed the King in 1303. He was believed to be flayed alive as punishment. Later study revealed the skins were bovine.
By the 1970s few people lived nearby. Ecclesiastical responsibility shifted to neighboring parishes in 1972. St Margaret’s came under the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey’s authority.
Each October St Margaret’s hosts an annual new year service for the Coptic Orthodox Church in Britain. In 2016 Bishop Angaelos delivered the sermon.
Inside St Margaret of Antioch look for the east window of 1509. It commemorates Catherine of Aragon’s betrothal to Henry VIII. Henry VII gave it to Waltham Abbey. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Abbot sent it to New Hall Essex. It passed through many hands including Anne Boleyn’s father and Oliver Cromwell. In 1758 St Margaret’s parish bought it for 400 guineas.
Other windows commemorate William Caxton Sir Walter Raleigh John Milton and Admiral Robert Blake. John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens designed new glass for the south aisle in 1966. The windows create a living radiance with silvery greys pale greens yellows and blues.
St Margaret’s has long been a popular wedding venue. Members of Parliament peers and officers of the Houses of Parliament can marry here. Notable weddings include Samuel Pepys John Milton Winston Churchill Harold Macmillan and Lord Mountbatten.
Many notable figures were baptised at St Margaret’s. This includes Barbara Villiers a royal mistress of King Charles II. Olaudah Equiano an abolitionist was also christened here.
William Caxton Sir Walter Raleigh and many Parliamentarians are buried here. Those Parliamentarians were reburied after the Restoration of the Monarchy. Their memorial stands by the west entrance.
Visiting St Margaret of Antioch offers glimpses into England’s story. Each stone and window has a tale to tell. The church has witnessed royal marriages political upheavals and artistic achievements.