London's 100 Best Churches

Bishop Michael Marshall was preaching this morning at Holy Trinity Sloane Street where he was incumbent for a decade.

But the big news was that his successor as Rector, Rob Gillion, is to be Bishop of Riverina in New South Wales, Australia.

The enthronement is next August. The see has been vacant for more than a year.

The bishop-elect is a former actor and current Chairman of the Actors’ Church Union. He is known widely for his broadcasting including on Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2.

Rob Gillion’s maternal grandfather was a missionary priest in Australia.

The eve of Marathon church service, described as the ‘official Virgin Money London Marathon Thanksgiving Service’, is at All Hallows-by-the-Tower on Saturday 12 April at 6pm.

All runners, families and friends are welcome.

The next day the runners pass the church.

The Vicar, Bertrand Olivier and staff member Martin Carr are both running in the Marathon again this year. They are seeking to raise money for the Angola London Mozambique Association, he Bishop of London’s Mission Fund and Action Aid.

Marathon Day is also Palm Sunday when the Eucharist wil be said at 10am. The church is planning stay open during the day for the sale of light refreshments to visitors and spectators.

Marc Edwards in front of St Mary Abbots and Kensington Church Street

The capital’s new television station London Live has St Mary Abbots as its backdrop for its live studio reports and links.

The studio is in the offices of the Evening Standard and The Independent above the Whole Foods Market shop in the Barkers Building.

St Marylebone Parish Church used to feature in the BBC London lunchtime weather forecasts before the studio moved from Marylebone High Street to Broadcasting House where John Nash’s lovely All Soul’s Langham Place now provides a backdrop from various angles.

Nicholas Hudson, who became rector of the Sacred Heart Church in Wimbledon only last January, is to an Auxiliary Bishop in Westminster.

The surprise announcement came from Rome this morning. Until last year Fr Hudson was Rector of the English College in Rome.

The new bishop grew up in Wimbledon and was delighted to have been appointed rector of the parish not only of his parents and own childhood but where he was ordained. He will find the sudden call to leave Wimbledon for Westminster difficult.

Nick Hudson’s episcopal ordination is at Westminster Cathedral on Wednesday 4 June at 11am. This is the same day as the State Opening of Parliament.

The lovely Millais’ paintings on yesterday’s Telegraph letters page depict a young girl sitting in a comfortable high backed pew awake (My First Sermon) and asleep (My Second Sermon).

The location where the young girl in a red coat and socks posed for Sir John Millais is Kingston upon Thames parish church.  The two paintings are dated 1863 and 1864.

Last night’s I Never Knew That About Britain on ITV had an interesting look at the wedding cake.

The claim that it was inspired by the tower of St Bride’s Church in Fleet Street was  briefly investigated.

Apprentice baker Thomas Rich wanted to impress his master so that he could marry his daughter. Having looked out of the window at St Bride’s he made a tiered cake and won approval.

The programme claimed that the bakery was on the western corner of Creed Lane and Ludgate Hill.

On Saturday 5 April there is choral evensong and benediction at the lovely St Cyprian’s Church, Clarence Gate.

This is the beginning of Passiontide, the moment Lent turns towards Holy Week, when the statues are veiled.

The choir is the St Cyprian’s Singers, directed by Julian Collings.

The light Ninian Comper church is near Baker Street and Marylebone Stations, with an entrance in Glentworth Street, and was known to TS Eliot, CS Lewis and Geoffrey Parsons.

The service begins at 3pm.

There has often been confusion about the relationship between St Mary-le-Bow in the City and Bow Church near the Olympic park.

Bow has different meanings. In the City it is  a reference to the church building’s arches  whilst in the east end fit recalls the bridge once spanning the River Lea.

It has been suggested that a cockney is someone born between St Mary-le-Bow and Bow on the eastern edge of London. Bow has a Bow Bells pub.

But now there is a link. A new project by St Mary-le-Bow and St Mary’s Church at Bow aims to tackle serious food poverty among families in the Bow district of the East End by the joint running of a food bank.

The bells of All Saints Fulham have been restored and Bishop of London Richard Chartres visited the church for the blessing.

There is a peal of ten bells. Six were recast in 1729 from bells hung in 1549 and heard by Elizabeth I when travelling on the river.

The bells would have been known to most of Bishop Chartres’  predecessors who lived next door at Fulham Palace.

The Eight Bells pub in Fulham High Street dates from the 17th century when All Saints had eight bells.

There is a report on the parish website.

The Ann Widdecombe and Lucy Winkett book launch at St Mary-le-Bow on  Tuesday 25 February has been cancelled.