Church House
Encyclopedia
Church House is the building that serves as the headquarters of the Church of England
, occupying the south end of Dean's Yard
next to Westminster Abbey
in London
.
The current building, designed by Sir Herbert Baker
, is a 1930s replacement of the original building, commissioned in 1902 by the 1888-formed Corporation of the Church House to commemorate Queen Victoria
's Golden Jubilee of 1887. Though delayed at first by the recession of the early 1930s, the foundation stone was laid by Queen Mary
on 26 June 1937, and the building was officially opened by King George VI
on 10 June 1940.
After the building's Assembly Hall was directly hit during the Blitz
and yet suffered little damage, Winston Churchill
requisitioned the building for use as makeshift Houses of Parliament
. The first meetings of both the United Nations Security Council
and United Nations Preparatory Commission took place in the Hoare Memorial Hall on 17 January 1946.
Today, the building is the headquarters of the Archbishops' Council
, the Church Commissioners
and all its Boards and Councils as well as of the Church of England Pensions Board and the National Society
. It is the meeting-place, twice each year, of the General Synod of the Church of England
.
The building was listed in 1988, and is currently used as a conference centre when the general synod is not in session.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, occupying the south end of Dean's Yard
Dean's Yard
Dean's Yard, Westminster, comprises most of the remaining precincts of the former monastery of Westminster, not occupied by the Abbey buildings. It is known to members of Westminster School as Green, and referred to without an article...
next to Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The current building, designed by Sir Herbert Baker
Herbert Baker
Sir Herbert Baker was a British architect.Baker was the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, 1892–1912....
, is a 1930s replacement of the original building, commissioned in 1902 by the 1888-formed Corporation of the Church House to commemorate Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
's Golden Jubilee of 1887. Though delayed at first by the recession of the early 1930s, the foundation stone was laid by Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
on 26 June 1937, and the building was officially opened by King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
on 10 June 1940.
After the building's Assembly Hall was directly hit during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
and yet suffered little damage, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
requisitioned the building for use as makeshift Houses of Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. The first meetings of both the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
and United Nations Preparatory Commission took place in the Hoare Memorial Hall on 17 January 1946.
Today, the building is the headquarters of the Archbishops' Council
Archbishops' Council
The Archbishops' Council is a part of the governance structures of the Church of England. Its headquarters are at Church House, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3AZ....
, the Church Commissioners
Church Commissioners
The Church Commissioners is a body managing the historic property assets of the Church of England. It was set up in 1948 combining the assets of Queen Anne's Bounty, a fund dating from 1704 for the relief of poor clergy, and of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners formed in 1836...
and all its Boards and Councils as well as of the Church of England Pensions Board and the National Society
National Society for Promoting Religious Education
The National Society for Promoting Religious Education, often just referred to as the National Society, is a Church of England body in England and Wales for the promotion of church schools and Christian education....
. It is the meeting-place, twice each year, of the General Synod of the Church of England
General Synod of the Church of England
The General Synod is the deliberative and legislative body of the Church of England. The synod was instituted in 1970, replacing the Church Assembly, and is the culmination of a process of rediscovering self-government for the Church of England that had started in the 1850s.- Church Assembly: 1919...
.
The building was listed in 1988, and is currently used as a conference centre when the general synod is not in session.