123. Consorts’ Visit to St Clement Danes Church, 26 February 2024

A group of 30 or so Consorts met at St Clement Danes, the RAF Church on the Strand – just outside the City of London.  Churchwarden Wing Commander Di Bentley conducted us on a tour of the building.  She was extremely knowledgeable about the church’s history.

The church was founded in 878 when the Danes left the London area, although they were still a dominant force elsewhere.  King Alfred had insisted the Danes were baptised – hence the need for a church.  This was in the Old Wick area, or, as we know it today, Aldwych.  St Clement was the second Bishop of Rome (= Pope) (following St Peter), and had been martyred by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the Black Sea.  The original wooden church had been replaced by a stone one under King Canute; a later medieval church building which didn’t burn down during the Great Fire of London was in such a parlous state that Christopher Wren ensured it was rebuilt.  The Victorians, in their wisdom, replaced Wren’s clear glass windows with stained glass.  Following total destruction during a bombing raid in May 1941 when all locally were concerned with saving St Paul’s Cathedral, the church was rebuilt to Wren’s original design and rededicated in 1958.  Sadly the Vicar in 1941 was so upset by the loss of his church that he took to his bed and died six weeks’ later, with his funeral held in the rubble of the building.

 

Pepys attended services in St Clement’s; Dr Johnson also worshipped here, installing a chair specifically for his own use.  A former Rector was William Webb-Ellis, of rugby fame.

The church is quite beautiful, light and airy, and spacious, with innovative telescopic pews which can be pulled out into the main aisle.  With the gallery, seating capacity is 750 and the church is often full at special RAF services.

St Clement’s Primary School in Drury Lane come to the church for its annual Oranges and Lemons service.  The secondary school moved to Hammersmith in 1928, then further out to Chorleywood in 1975 but returns each year for graduation.

The pulpit is the work of Grinling Gibbons.  The excellent organ is a gift from the US Air Force, the lectern from the Australian Air Force, and the font in the crypt from the Canadian Air Force.  Embedded in the marble floor are the badges of each RAF unit.  The painting on wood behind the altar is by John Ruskin, who lived nearby.  Following the devastation during the war the bells were reformed at the Whitechapel Foundry, but the Sanctus bell dates from 1588.

Display cases house gifts from various regiments.  Company colours hang in the balcony, and are replaced every 25 years until the unit is disbanded.

Along the walls of the small chapel in the crypt are badges from old coffins.

The funeral procession of former PM Margaret Thatcher began from St Clement Danes, where the coffin was placed on the gun carriage.

As 12 noon drew nigh we stood outside and listened to the carillon charmingly play Oranges and Lemons.

We then adjourned over the road at Daly’s Wine Bar where we had lunch.

Thanks to the Consorts Social Committee for organising this educational and very