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A short history of the parish
Famous London Churches (1934)


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A short history of the parish

By Jane Kennedy


Post-war developments

In 1966, St Margaret's church was added to the Abbey Close under the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey, and in 1973 the former parish of St Margaret's was divided between St Matthew's and St Martin-in-Fields.

Unfortunately disaster struck in 1977 when St Matthew's was burnt down by an arsonist. All that remains today is from the crossing of the former church to the former altar, together with the beautiful Lady Chapel upstairs. The church was reopened on 29th November 1984 at a service of dedication by Brian Masters, Bishop of Fulham. 

St Matthew's Church Hall has been refurbished and was developed into a conference centre in 1999. The parish church today is still evolving and reacting to change just as it did in the nineteenth century.

Contents

        Introduction
        The Devil's Acre
        Building the church
        The first vicar
        Social and educational welfare
        Frank Weston
        Church House
        Early 20th Century
 >     Post-war developments