St Ignatius Church, Stamford Hill

St Ignatius Church
Roman Catholic Church of St. Ignatius, Stamford Hill
Front of St. Ignatius Church
St Ignatius Church Location of church within Haringey
OS grid reference	TQ3359588197
Location	Stamford Hill, London
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	http://parish.rcdow.org.uk/stamfordhill/
History
Founded	1894 (1894)
Dedication	St. Ignatius of Loyola
Architecture
Status	Active
Functional status	Parish Church
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	10 May 1974
Architect(s)	Fr. Benedict Williamson
Style	Romanesque Revival
Groundbreaking	1894
Completed	1911
Administration
Deanery	Haringey
Archdiocese	Westminster
Province	Westminster
Clergy
Archbishop	Most Rev. Vincent Nichols
Priest(s)	Fr Peter Randall SJ

St Ignatius Church in Stamford Hill where it gradually becomes South Tottenham is a large listed Roman catholic parish church in the Archdiocese of Westminster ministered by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) who founded it in 1894. It is on the corner of Tottenham High Road and St. Ann's Road in Haringey close to the border with the London Borough of Hackney, north London.

History

Founding

In 1892, the Jesuits were invited by Cardinal Herbert Vaughan to not only create a parish church, but also a primary school and a secondary school for boys. He did this after receiving a petition by nearly 300 people for a parish to be set up in the Stamford Hill area.

The first Mass was celebrated in Morecambe Lodge, a large house, since demolished, on the site of the unproductive land (historically termed waste) next to the church. In the following year Burleigh House next door was bought. This was used to house Jesuits including priests until a new presbytery opened in 1928.

Construction

A chapel was constructed out of stables, the coach house and stable yard of Morecambe Lodge, but soon the congregation increased to such a size that a proper church was needed. The Jesuits decided to dedicate the church to their order's founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola. For financial reasons the church was built in two stages. The first part, which included the sanctuary, was opened in 1903 and the exterior parts were completed in 1911.

The architect, Benedict Williamson converted to Catholicism and became a priest after being responsible for the design of several other churches in the south east of England.

The interior of the church was not completed until 1925. The chapel of St Joseph at the back of the church is dedicated to the men of the parish who died in the First World War and their names are inscribed on the front of the altar. The High Altar and the communion rails are still present in the church.

School

The secondary school that was asked for by Cardinal Vaughan, was founded on 10 September 1894 next door to the church, called St Ignatius' College. By the 1960s it needed greater capacity to be able to teach an increasing number of pupils and it moved to Enfield in 1968. When it moved, it left behind a primary school also dedicated to St Ignatius. Jesuits ceased in the 20th century to run the expanding primary school adjoining which is entrusted to the borough and financially to the Archdiocese of Westminster, while as a Roman Catholic school retaining a close relationship with the church.

Parish

The church is very pastorally active. Many voluntary organisations run in the parish and its main premises. For example:

• Major founding role in the Community organizing group London Citizens.
• Meeting venue of a Justice and Peace group who organise charity work abroad and promote Fair Trade goods.
• The St Ignatius Housing Association are supported. This houses some of the homeless and while non-discriminatory serves the neediest, many of whom turn to the church.
• Meeting venue of Ignatian spirituality groups such as the Christian Life Community.

Choirs

Being home to a multi-cultural congregation, the parish has seven church choirs, which goes some way to represent the different and diverse nature of the parishioners. The church has the:

• St Ignatius Parish Choir
• Junior Choir, started in 1997, for ages 7 to 10.
• Youth Choir, for ages 11 to 16.
• The St Ignatius Caribbean Choir, started in 1985.
• African Society Choir
• Latin American Choir
• Polish Choir

Gallery

• Geograph-2677609-by-John-Salmon.jpg

  South side

• Geograph-2677606-by-John-Salmon.jpg

  East side

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  Entrance

• Geograph-2677639-by-John-Salmon.jpg

  Interior

• Geograph-2677616-by-John-Salmon.jpg

  Altar

See also

• St Ignatius' College
• Society of Jesus
• Ignatian Spirituality
• London Citizens

External links

• Stamford Hill Parish Site