The Headstone Clearing Controversy at Emmanuel Church in East London

Emmanuel Church, Forest Gate is a Church of England church in Forest Gate, east London. Its history is marked by changes to the parishes it serves and the controversial clearing of headstones in recent years. Built in 1852, Emmanuel Church was designed by George Gilbert Scott in the Decorated Gothic style. The church was at the heart of a larger parish in its early days, with parts of the parishes of All Saints Church, West Ham and St Mary Magdalene’s Church, East Ham used to form it.

It added a north aisle in 1890. From 1880, Emmanuel Church set up the mission churches of St Saviour’s Church, Forest Gate and, in 1881, St James’ Church, Forest Gate joined its parish, sharing parts with All Saints Church, West Ham and St John’s Church, Stratford. By 1894, St Mark’s Church, Forest Gate had its own permanent building and a parish of its own, formed using parts of the parishes of Emmanuel and All Saints. In 2023, a controversial clearing of headstones and monuments took place at Emmanuel Church, which was done without public comment, causing controversy.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons