Imagine London Fields without the beautiful St Michael & All Angels church. For over 150 years a community has worshipped God here.
The first St Michael & All Angels church was consecrated in 1864. It stood in Lamb Lane to the East of London Fields. Sadly bombing in 1945 irreparably damaged the Victorian church.
St Michael’s parish later included St Paul’s Haggerston. St Paul’s church was built in 1860. It faced Marlborough Avenue. Today St Paul’s with St Michael’s School occupies that site. St Paul’s church closed around 1970. On 1 August 1971 St Paul’s parish joined St Michael’s. This formed the united benefice of St Michael & All Angels London Fields with St Paul’s Haggerston. It retains that title today.
The current St Michael & All Angels is a Grade 2 listed building. It stands on the west side of London Fields. Consecration took place in February 1961. Architect Nugent F Cachmaille-Day designed it. John Hayward added fine artwork. These embellishments include murals stained glass and sculpture. The design reflects the Liturgical Movement’s influence. It impacted church architecture and art.
St Michael’s design creates a joyful sense of God. It fosters reverence within the London Fields community.
The church holds some current registers. These include baptisms from 30 December 1956. Confirmations are recorded from 1999. Banns of Marriage are available from 2010. All cover St Michael’s only. Earlier registers are archived at the London Archives. These include records for both St Michael & All Angels and St Paul’s Haggerston.
The London Archives holds marriage registers that are now closed. This follows the introduction of new procedures. These procedures fall under the Civil Partnerships Marriages and Deaths Registration etc Act 2019.
Additional records deposited in June 2024 and January 2025 are not yet catalogued. These include baptism records from 1930-1956. Confirmation records from 1934-1998 are also included. Banns of Marriage from 1982-2009 are there. Marriage records from 1965-2015 complete the set.
St Michael’s offers various activities. Thursday lunchtimes feature a Social Group and a Bible Study Group. They meet in the Chapel off Lansdowne Drive. These free sessions are open to all ages.
St Michael & All Angels is open for public worship each Sunday. A Eucharist service is held at 10 am. The service is also live-streamed. This allows those unable to attend in person to participate.
The history of St Michael & All Angels reflects community worship. It showcases architectural beauty and artistic expression. It continues to serve London Fields.