You’re looking for a striking building with a red-brick front, tall arched windows, and on the left side, a sturdy old stone tower rising above it-you can spot its tower peeking out if you look towards the blocky, castle-like section!
Now, let me plant you in the heart of Twickenham’s rich history at St Mary’s Church, also known as St Mary the Virgin-an incredible time capsule if there ever was one! Imagine standing here on a cool spring morning in April 1713, just as disaster strikes. The old medieval church, beloved for centuries, had its nave suddenly collapse-just like that, tons of ancient stone rumbling to the ground. Luckily, nobody was inside at the time-a fact that surely left the locals counting their blessings, though not without a little bite of humor. The vicar, Dr. Pratt, actually predicted the collapse and insisted on preaching in a “tabernakle” out in the churchyard. At first, everyone chuckled at his caution-until the very next week the church tumbled down. I bet Dr. Pratt was tempted to preach an “I told you so” sermon that Sunday!
But Twickenham didn’t lose heart. The church you see now rose quickly from the rubble, rebuilt in 1714 in a fresh Neo-classical style, thanks in part to the famous painter Sir Godfrey Kneller, who was not just picking up paintbrushes but church plans! The design is elegant, with Tuscan pilasters and a neat triangular pediment-that’s the pointed bit at the top, looking nice and tidy. Through the centuries, the church has grown and changed, just like Twickenham itself. In fact, the parish stretched wide over the area in those early days, but as new churches popped up for the swelling population, St Mary’s parish shrank a little, holding fast to its place at the center of the town.
Take a closer look at the church’s tower. It’s actually a medieval survivor from the 15th century, stubbornly refusing to topple with the rest of the old building and still standing strong today. The tower rings with the voices of eight bells-one cast as far back as the 1500s, others rung in the 17th and 18th centuries. Just imagine the echoes of those same bells marking weddings, funerals, and all the great moments in Twickenham’s life for hundreds of years.
St Mary’s is a real storybook when it comes to memorials. Inside, you’ll find burials and monuments for folks from all walks of life-proud admirals, noblewomen, poets, and even the king’s own chief cook. There’s a particularly touching brass to Richard Burton and his wife Agnes, dating all the way back to 1443. In the nave, look out for the grand monuments: from Lady Margaret Wildman, sculpted by Sir Richard Westmacott, to the baronet Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle. Don’t miss the memorial for Nathaniel Pigott by Peter Scheemakers and Sir Godfrey Kneller’s own resting place-a nice spot for an artist to swap paint for peace.
But perhaps my favorite story here is how even greatness sometimes hides in plain sight. The poet Alexander Pope-yes, the very wit of Twickenham-lies beneath a simple slab marked only with the letter P, humbly sharing the space with his mother. It’s a quiet spot, but Pope, so grand in verse, wanted only the briefest mark in stone.
Venture outside and you’ll find more famous names. Two 1609 ladies-in-waiting to Anne of Denmark, Bridget Markham and Cecily Bulstrode, rest under your feet. Sir William Berkeley, governor of distant Virginia, is encased in a lead shroud described as showing the very shape of his body-hands, feet, even fingernails, like something from a gothic novel. A year later, they squeezed his brother Lord Berkeley in beside him, quite the family reunion in the crypt!
The churchyard is studded with stories: actress and singer Kitty Clive lies in the soil, commemorated with a plaque, and not far away is tea merchant Thomas Twining-I’m sure a few comforting cups have been poured in Twickenham thanks to him. There’s Martha Bruce, former governess to the Princess Charlotte, resting in peace since 1810. And even modern history lingers here: in 2008, the funeral for Neil Aspinall, sometimes called the “fifth Beatle,” took place right here-proving you never know who might be sitting in the pew next to you!
Let your eyes and ears wander. Imagine wedding parties gathering on the steps (this very church was immortalized in a 1948 painting, "Wedding at Twickenham Parish Church"), and mourners trailing quietly among the gravestones. St Mary’s is a bundle of stories-some merry, some bittersweet, all echoing beneath those ancient bricks, waiting for you to discover them.
For a more comprehensive understanding of the extent of parish, burials or the st mary's church in art, engage with me in the chat section below.
