St Alfege, Greenwich
St Alfege, Greenwich
St Alfege on Greenwich Church Street is a Grade I Hawksmoor parish church in the Diocese of Southwark, the first church built under the Fifty New Churches Act of 1711 and a key building in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.
- Location
- Greenwich, Greater London
- Country
- England
- County
- Greater London
- City / town
- Greenwich
- Address
- Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich, Greater London, SE10 9BJ
- Postcode
- SE10 9BJ
- Built
- 1712–14; steeple 1730 by John James, rebuilt 1813
- Consecrated
- 1718
- Architect
- Nicholas Hawksmoor; steeple by John James
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- Alfege
- Diocese
- Southwark
- Parish
- Greenwich, St Alfege
- Grade
- I
- Style
- English Baroque
- Materials
- Portland stone ashlar; copper-covered roof
- Grid reference
- TQ 383 776
- Opening hours
- The church is open to visitors every weekday 11am to 4pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 12noon to 4pm. Volunteers keep the church open for visitors, and although we try our best to keep to the opening times but there may be some instances when this isn’t possible. St Alfege hosts numerous events including regular free lunchtime concerts every Thursday at 1pm throughout the year, many of which are free to attend.
- Access
- Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby
- Website
- http://www.st-alfege.org/
Overview
Historic England lists a cruciform church of 1711–14 by Nicholas Hawksmoor, with masons Edward Strong and Edward Tufnell, and a steeple of 1730 by John James, rebuilt in 1813. The fabric is Portland stone ashlar under a moderately low-pitched copper roof, with a Doric entablature on pilasters all round. The east end has a pediment and a recessed portico distyle in antis with no entrance. The four-stage west tower rises through Ionic and Corinthian stages to an octagonal drum, dome, stone spike, ball and vane. The Diocese of Southwark notes that a church has stood on the traditional site of Archbishop Alfege's martyrdom in 1012 since at least the late tenth century; the medieval church collapsed in a storm in 1710. The present building was dedicated in 1718.
Henry VIII was baptised in the earlier church; Thomas Tallis was buried here in 1585; General James Wolfe is buried here; John Flamsteed worshipped here. The parish website records Grinling Gibbons work on the pulpit and capitals, and James Thornhill painting at the east end. The church is open most days for visitors.