---
title: "St Mary the Virgin, Lewisham"
description: "Located in Lewisham, Greater London. Built Tower 1498–1512; nave rebuilt 1774–77; chancel 1881–82. Diocese of Southwark. Grade II*. Perpendicular tower; Georgian nave; Gothic Revival chancel style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","Greater London","Lewisham","Grade II*","Georgian","George Gibson","Arthur Blomfield"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/lewisham-st-mary-virgin"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T02:02:21.870Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-07T16:06:53.170Z"
location: "Lewisham, Greater London"
country: "England"
county: "Greater London"
town: "Lewisham"
address: "Lewisham High Street, Lewisham, Greater London, SE13 6LE"
postcode: "SE13 6LE"
built: "Tower 1498–1512; nave rebuilt 1774–77; chancel 1881–82"
architect: "George Gibson junior; Sir Arthur Blomfield (chancel and nave recasting)"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["Mary"]
diocese: "Southwark"
grade: "II*"
style: "Perpendicular tower; Georgian nave; Gothic Revival chancel"
materials: "Coursed Kentish rag rubble with ashlar dressings"
website: "https://www.lewishamparish.com/"
openingHours: "For church opening please visit church website or phone 020 8690 3298."
parish: "Lewisham"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1193297"
gridReference: "TQ 379 748"
accessNotes: "Accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Non-accessible toilets in church"
---

# St Mary the Virgin, Lewisham

St Mary the Virgin on Lewisham High Street is Lewisham’s ancient parish church, a Grade II* building combining a late medieval tower with a Georgian nave by George Gibson junior and a Blomfield chancel, in the Diocese of Southwark.

## Overview

A church has stood near Ladywell since at least the late eleventh century. The lower stages of the west tower are Perpendicular, of 1498–1512 (Robert Cheseman’s ‘grete new wyndowe’ of 1498). Gibson rebuilt the nave in 1774–77 as a rectangular preaching box over a crypt, with galleries and a classical tetrastyle portico, adding a stage to the tower and an ornamental garland frieze. Fire damaged the interior in 1830. In 1881–82 Sir Arthur Blomfield, paid for in part by the Earl of Dartmouth, replaced the apse with a new chancel and recast the nave with timber arcading. The east end was reordered in 1995–96. Monuments include work by Thomas Banks (Margaret or Anne Petrie) and John Flaxman. Listed Grade II* (NHLE 1193297); the church has appeared on the Heritage at Risk register for roof and fabric issues.

## Further Information

- [St Mary the Virgin, Lewisham](https://www.lewishamparish.com/)
- [Historic England list entry 1193297](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1193297)
- [Diocese of Southwark](https://southwark.anglican.org/church/lewisham-st-mary-the-virgin/)