Plaque

Church House - opened

Erection date: 10/6/1940

Inscription

This building was opened by His Majesty King George VI accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on the tenth day of June 1940.

Site: Church House, Westminster (4 memorials)

SW1, Deans Yard, Church House

The four plaques are located as follows:
To the left of the entrance - 1937 foundation,
To the right of the entrance - opened 1940 (can be seen in our photo),
In the entrance porch, to the left - UN 1986,
In the entrance porch, to the right - centenary 1988.

Centre front, second floor, is a large high relief figure by Charles Wheeler, representing the Prophet of Assembly of the Church of England (though we can't discover any more about this personage, nor why it's so Eastern-looking).  And below that, some Greek text, about which our language consultant, David Hopkins, writes:

"It’s a direct quote from Luke 17:21 in the New Testament. If you have the right font on your computer it says: Η ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΘEΟΥ ΕΝΤΟΣ ΥΜΩΝ ΕΣΤΙΝ.  In “English letters” this would be “He basileia tou theou entos humon estin”. The translation in the King James version says: “The kingdom of God is within you”, although some academics have argued that a better translation would be “The kingdom of God is in your midst”.  Neither makes much sense to me!"

Googling around suggests the carving may represent Elijah but we need help here.  Why does a building so central to the Church of England carry Greek text and an apparent Eastern religious icon so prominently?

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Church House - opened

Subjects commemorated i

Church House - Westminster

The Westminster site was first used for Anglican church meetings and administ...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Church House - opened

Created by i

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

In 1923 Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (descended from the Royal House of Scotland...

Read More

King George VI

Became king when his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated. Like his father George ...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Church House - opened

Also at this site i

Church House - centenary

Church House - centenary

This tablet was unveiled by Her Majesty the Queen on 25th October 1988 to com...

Read More

Church House - foundation stone

Church House - foundation stone

This foundation stone was placed here by Her Majesty Queen Mary, twentysixth ...

Read More

Church House - UN

Church House - UN

Javier Perez de Cuellar, Secretary-General of the United Nations unveiled thi...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Stoke Newington Manor House

Stoke Newington Manor House

N16, Stoke Newington Church Street, Stoke Newington Town Hall

The dates suggest that the terrace was built on the site of the Manor House and that in 1936 the terrace was replaced by the Town Hall.  ...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Rodney Smith

Rodney Smith

IG8, Woodford New Road, Mill Plain, Epping Forest

{On a plaque below a picture of a gipsy caravan:} Gipsy Rodney Smith, who preached the gospel of christ to thousands on five continents f...

1 subject commemorated
Brilliant Sign Company

Brilliant Sign Company

W12, Stowe Road, Havilland Mews

On this site stood the Paragon Works of the Brilliant Sign Company. Formed in 1888, the company patented the 'brilliant letter' shop sign...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Peter Piaktow and Sidney Street Siege

Peter Piaktow and Sidney Street Siege

E1, Commercial Road, Peter House

Peter House This block was built in 2006 by Tower Hamlets Community Housing and named after Peter Piaktow, who was known as Peter the Pai...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
John Flaxman

John Flaxman

W1, Greenwell Street, 7 (Former)

John, sculptor, lived and died here, B. 1755, D. 1826, Flaxman. {In the border, interleaved with the links of a chain, are the letters of...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Hannah Sara Chadwick

Hannah Sara Chadwick

In 1850 she donated some funds to the Emery Hill almshouses in memory of her late husband, James Chadwick: £1500 3 per cent annuities, the interest thereof to be divided amongst the poor alms-peopl...

Person, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Sir T. Gregory Foster

Sir T. Gregory Foster

First name was Thomas but he did not use it.  The first Provost of University College London, 1904–1929.  Vice-Chancellor of the University of London from 1928 to 1930.

Person, Education, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Private John Lynn, VC

Private John Lynn, VC

Soldier. Born in Forest Hill, London. On 2nd May, 1915 near Ypres, the enemy was advancing behind a wave of poison gas. In spite of being almost overcome by the fumes, he turned his machine-gun aga...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

1 memorial
Sarah Parker Remond

Sarah Parker Remond

WC1, Grenville Street

Remond lived at 6 Grenville Street, which would have been opposite this modern building, in a Georgian terrace - and we believe there is ...

3 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Charles Spackman VC

Charles Spackman VC

SW6, Putney Bridge Approach, Vicarage Gardens

A building had been here, about where this monument is, since before 1430. It became the vicarage but its large garden was much reduced b...

War served | WW1
2 subjects commemorated