St George's, Bloomsbury is a church in the Bloomsbury neighborhood of London, built between 1716 and 1731. Designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, who was the surveyor for the 1711 Act Churches, St George's is a blend of history and architecture. The land on which the church stands was bought in 1711 for £1,000 from Lady Russell. The cost to construct it was £31,000 and it was completed in 1731. The church was consecrated in 1730.
Anthony Trollope was baptised at St George's in 1824. The wedding of F. B. Chatterton, manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, took place in 1853. Richard Meux Benson, founder of the Society of St John the Evangelist, was baptised in the church. A funeral service for Emily Davison, the suffragette who died when she was hit by the King's horse during the 1913 Derby, took place in the church.
The most unique feature of St George's is its stepped tower, which is topped with a statue of King George I in Roman dress. This tower is inspired by Pliny the Elder's description of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
The steps in the tower were not just for decoration, they allowed for the use of a trapdoor to ring the bells. Charles Dickens used St George's as the setting for 'The Bloomsbury Christening' in Sketches by Boz. The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 24 October 1951.
Today, the church is open to visitors on request. It runs educational workshops and lectures for schools, families and adults. It also hosts events and classes for the local community. The main service is held at 10:30am on Sunday morning.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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