Site: All Hallows Church (1 memorial)
SE1, Copperfield Street, All Hallows Church garden
The Bowman plaque can be seen in our photo at the bottom left. A notice board just outside our photo, to the right, gives some history of the church as follows:
This garden and the building behind it are on the site of the original All Hallows Church. the original church was built to a design by George Gilbert Scott Junior {1839–97, son of Sir George Gilbert Scott} in 1879-80. After many years of service, the church was bombed twice during WW2. Gutted by a landmine, it remained in its damaged state until well after the war.
It was not until 1957 that any attempt was made to salvage the bombed remains. The main structure was demolished and the northern part - the Lady Chapel - and the crypt were incorporated into a new smaller church building {the west wall of which can just be seen to the extreme right of our photo} designed by Thomas F. Ford {1891-1971}.
The new church was built through the enthusiasm and vision of George Reindorp {1911-90, became a bishop in 1961}, a former Provost at Southwark Cathedral. It was opened and consecrated in Autumn 1958. the remainder of the site was turned into this small simple garden. The crucifix you see at the {east} end of the garden stands on what was once the alter of the original church. The smaller church was in use until 1971 when a dwindling congregation meant it was no longer sustainable.
George Reindorp commissioned the renowned WW2 artist, Hans Feibusch {1898 – 1998}, to paint a mural for the church.... The mural remains in All Hallows, but has been bricked up for decades.
All Hallows - the cradle of Brit Pop?
For a period of time in the early 1980s, All Hallows Church was converted into a recording studio and became the home of the hits. Blackwing Studios was where Depeche Mode laid down their debut album, Speak and Spell, and it was also here that Yazoo made their early recordings. Blackwing was one of the studios that led the way in producing the synth sound associated with Brit-Pop. The studios closed in September 2001. The building has been empty ever since.
Copperfield Garden - Our Ethos
Located on one of the last remaining undeveloped bomb sites in central London, this award-winning garden was created by local volunteers nearly 40 years ago who have also fought for its preservation as a community space open to all. ... Copperfield Street Community Garden is still entirely looked after, managed and opened by community volunteers.
