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St. Mary le Strand, London

4.6

#106 of 223 in Historic Sites in London

St Mary le Strand is a Church of England church at the eastern end of the Strand in the City of Westminster, London. It lies within the Deanery of Westminster (St Margaret) within the Diocese of London. The church stands on what is now a traffic island to the north of Somerset House, King's College London's Strand campus, and south of Bush House (now also part of King's College London). It is the official church of the Women's Royal Naval Service, and has a book of remembrance for members who have died in service. The nearest tube station is Temple, with the now-closed Aldwych station nearly opposite the church. It is known as one of the two 'Island Churches', the other being St Clement Danes.HistoryThe church is the second to have been called St Mary le Strand, the first having been situated a short distance to the south. The date of its foundation is unclear but it was mentioned in a judgment of 1222, when it was called the Church of the Innocents, or St Mary and the Innocents. It was pulled down in 1549 by Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset to make way for Somerset House. The parishioners were promised a new church, which was never built, forcing them to move to the nearby church of St Clement Danes and afterwards to the Savoy Chapel. The site now occupied by the modern church was formerly occupied by a great maypole which had been the scene of May Day festivities in the 16th and 17th century but was severely decayed by the early 18th century.

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St. Mary le Strand Reviews

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4.6

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By northants90 On February 3, 2018

This is a pretty church and a striking statue of Gladstone outside. Right on the Strand and opposite the Australian Embassy (Australia House). A great example of a church in this wonderful city. more »
By TheShis On December 30, 2017

This is a lovely little church we stumbled upon on our way to watch "Mamma Mia" in the nearby Novello theater. While the church was already closed while we visited, the lights from within it made the ... more »
By BigHugh51 On November 3, 2017

While visiting London, it is not unusual to find churches located in some interesting locations. St. Mary le Strand is one such church. It is located in the middle of a busy roadway in the Strand, opp... more »

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