Comments on: At St Mary Stratford Atte Bow

By: Tania Montagu

Tania Montagu — Mon, 26 May 2025 20:23:27 +0000

Thank you! I’m from Australia however I recently visited this beautiful old church unfortunately it wasn’t open on the Saturday when we were in London. I got quite emotional while looking for the resting place of my ancestors when I couldn’t read some of the grave inscriptions however to my absolute surprise we found a rather large crypt with many of my ancestors The Crawleys resting there!
I believe there is a plaque/memorial on the church wall also.
Tania

By: Judy

Judy — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 07:58:04 +0000

Coming late to the joys of The Gentle Author (2020) these Covid years have been made bearable by the daily posts, and even more so, by delving back into past comments. Thank you G.A. You have no idea how much delight they bring.
Of this post, and of all the pictures of this beautiful Church’s interior, the East Window gave me the greatest pleasure, with its inclusion of the kitten squeezing towards us in the corner.!What a human touch, by the designer/maker or Archetect who envisioned this window. A touch of whimsy in such formal a composition! Then, finding the bird, and the mouse, in the right hand panel, made me feel part of all those in previous congregations of Sunday mornings long ago!
I bet secret delight was felt by many !!!! And not only the young ones!!!

By: Edward Simmons

Edward Simmons — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 17:13:28 +0000

Thank you so much for this article and the pictures. My Mother’s cousin, Rev. George Ansell, was vicar of St. Mary’s for many years in the 1930’s and can be seen in the picture of the Football Team together with George Lansbury. To my regret I never knew him or his family but he was fortunate to be connected with such a beautiful and historic church.

By: Natasha

Natasha — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 09:25:16 +0000

The Church is beautiful and the history associated with it was a nice read. Thanks for the informative article. Keep bringing more like this.

By: Jeanette Hollick

Jeanette Hollick — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 09:14:04 +0000

Very beautiful church. Lovely images and informative article.
Thanks for posting.

By: Barbara Hague

Barbara Hague — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 11:08:53 +0000

Does anybody know where the old records of baptism, marriage and death are kept?

By: Joanna Davies

Joanna Davies — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 09:43:12 +0000

I was a nurse at The London Hospital in the 1980’s and lived in Ordell Road, Bow. I now live in Devon but the church is very familiar to me. On the recent death of my mother I have found that one of my ancestors was the church organist for forty years receiving a testimonial in 1878. The only information I have is that her name was Miss Drury and she lived at 19, Coburn Street, Bow. If anyone has any information about her I would be very grateful to receive it.

By: Jean Etchepare

Jean Etchepare — Tue, 23 May 2017 12:36:50 +0000

I love this church inside the little island between two busy roads. I have spent many hours during the Spring and Summer months sitting or reading in the benches in the aisle outside the church and I found it very relaxing

By: Heather Hagen

Heather Hagen — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 02:49:34 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing the interior photos of this lovely old church. My husband’s grandfather Conrad von Hagen wed his beloved fiancée (9 years correspondence between London and Australia) in August 1881. When we visited the chapel it was closed for repairs so we came away with no peep at the interior and big container box outside the front door!

By: Alan Lewin

Alan Lewin — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 16:53:38 +0000

I went to school (1958 – 1963) at Bow Boys which is in Fairfield Road close to the church. Each Christmas the school choir would be invited to sing in the choir stalls in the church which I did on, I think, three occasions.
I lived close to Mile end Station and Holy Trinity Church Morgan Street was our local church. The church was closed due to falling congregation numbers and the remaining members of the congregation were eventually transferred to Bow Church.

Unfortunately Holy Trinity was left to stand and decay which gave the vandals an opportunity to obtain access and do tremendous damage. Luckily the two panels containing the names of the WW1 war dead were saved and are now inside Bow Church alongside its war memorial.

In the pictures you will see the brass altar cross and brass candlesticks that were from Holy Trinity and there is also a brass collection plate . Other items that are there are the vicars and church wardens staffs ( my father occupied both posts at different periods) and the vicars vestments which were paid for by my sister in laws family.

How do I know all this? I paid a visit to Bow Church a few years ago and spent approximately an hour with the then incumbent vicar chatting about all the above and he graciously allowed me to take some pictures.