Royal Garrison Church of St George - Grand Depot Road, Woolwich, London, UK
N 51° 29.123 E 000° 03.770
31U E 296077 N 5707894
Quick Description: This is the remains of St George's church that was destroyed by a flying bomb on 13th July 1944 during the second World War. There is no access to the church for the general public.
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 7/2/2011 8:45:20 AM
Waymark Code: WMBXPW
Views: 0
Long Description:The plaque, at the site, reads:
"Royal Garrison Church / of St George / Destroyed by Flying Bomb / on 13th July 1944 / Consecrated Ground Preserved / as a Memorial Garden and / containing the V.C. Memorial / of the Royal Regiment of / Artillery"
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The Royal Garrison Church of St George, Grand Depot Road, Woolwich was consecrated on 3rd November 1863 and badly damaged by a V1 Flying Bomb on 13th July 1944. Judging by the different colours of the brickwork, it seems that none of the walls was completely demolished to ground level. Part of the north wall seems to have been reduced to the lowest level as it has been rebuilt with about eight courses of mainly grey bricks with some red ones, instead of all red. A parapet and a spiked pole have been added to the top of the north and south walls to prevent access other than through the gates at the west end. Until a few years ago, the general public were allowed into the church, but now the gates are kept locked. When I visited the church in May 2007 to take some initial photos, I found that the information board which used to be on the west wall by the main entrance had been removed. Fortunately though, the board, which has deteriorated somewhat, was laying on its back just inside the gates, so that by putting the camera through the bars I was able to take a the photo of it. When I went back in June 2008 to take some better quality photos, only the backing panel was still there.
This is the complete text from the board -
St George's Church was consecrated in 1863 after the original 'Garrison Chapel', which had occupied a site on the southen frontage of the Royal Artillery Barracks, was destroyed by fire. Its building was authorised by Lord Herbert, then Secretary of State for War, using designs based on those of Wilton Parish Church near Salisbury, by his uncle the Earl of Pembroke. The officers of the garrison showed their appreciation by raising £1,000 for its decoration and over the years most of the plain brick walls were encased with marble. By the 1930s some 300 memorials, banners, marble prayer desks and altar rails and an elaborate lectern had also been added. The original five windows in the apse, destroyed by enemy action in 1918, commemorated the services of the Artillery in the wars with France, 1808 to 1815, and Russia, 1854 to 1855. After the First World War the Royal Artillery Victoria Cross Memorial was also [...] in the apse in the form of a fine Italianate mosaic depicting St George flanked by marble tablets inscribed with the names of the Regiment's V.C. recipients. It became the 'Royal Garrison Church' in 1928 after a visit by H.M. King George V. Sadly, when still some twenty years [short?] of its centenary, The Royal Garrison Church of St George was destroyed by a German V1 Flying Bomb on 13 July, 1944. The Chapel of St. Michael and All Angels, built within the Royal Military Academy in 1904, then assumed the role of Garrison Church and continues that purpose to the present day. Today St George's Church remains consecrated as a memorial church and usually is the venue for Woolwich Station Rememberance Day services.
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