History
The Boltons was originally a farm with the land used as market gardens. Robert Gunter donated the site for the church. George Godwin, who also built the houses in the Boltons and the neighbouring churches of St Jude’s, Courtfield Gardens, and St Luke’s, Redcliffe Square, built the church.
The initial cost of building St Mary’s was £6,000, largely met by the then Perpetual Curate, Rev. Hogarth J. Swale. The church is built in stone, Kentish rag capped with Bath stone externally and Hassock internally. At one time all the windows had stained glass and the walls were stencilled with designs of fruit and flowers.
Since 1850 there have been many changes. The spire of the church was added in 1854. In 1902 the oak pews and floor tiling were installed. Bombs during the war damaged the organ and roof as well as shattering many of the windows. The church was reordered after the war with the high altar being moved to below the crossing and the old sanctuary being converted into a Lady Chapel. Here the sacrament is reserved. The present east window was designed by Margaret Kaye and installed in 1955.
In 1960 the original organ was removed from the east end of the church and is now in St.Nicholas, Yarmouth (Norfolk). A new gallery was built for the two manual Compton organ at the west end. The west end window was put in to diffuse the light in order to keep the organ in tune. Unfortunately, this did not work and a screen now obscures the window from inside.
In 1972 St Peter’s, Cranley Gardens, was closed and is now used by the Armenian Orthodox Church. The benefices were amalgamated and the plate and vestments used at St Mary’s. As a result of the generosity of a church member the fine brass eagle lectern from St Peter’s has been restored and is now used at St Mary’s.
In 2001 a beautiful bronze sculpture, the Pieta by Naomi Blake, FRBS, was placed in St Luke’s Chapel to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of St Mary’s.
In July 2006 the parish of St Jude’s, Courtfield Gardens, was merged into St Mary’s Parish so that the parish doubled in size.
The Craigie Aitchison memorial window was dedicated by the Bishop of London on the feast of the Ascension 2012. Please see the link in Welcome for more details.