CANONS PARK Jubilee Line (Stanmore)
For Handel fans and collectors of unusual churches.
Canons Park was a large early 18th century country estate owned by the first Duke of Chandos. The original mansion has gone, but its gardens are now a public park with a walled garden laid out in formal 1930’s style. It lies behind the church of St. Lawrence Whitchurch.* This church is very unusual. It has a stone tower dating back to 1360 but the rest of the church was rebuilt in 1715 in baroque style. Plain on the outside, the interior is full of riches – flamboyant monuments, wall-paintings by Italian artists and wood carving (including the organ case) attributed to Grinling Gibbons. Handel was employed by the Duke around 1717 as his composer- in -residence, writing the famous Chandos Anthems in this period.
In addition to being open for public worship, it is possible to visit the Church and see all its architectural features on a Sunday afternoon between 14:00 - 17:00 (16:00 October - March inc.).
Church and park are situated a few minutes walk from the Tube station walking east down Whitchurch Park.
Stop press: (2008) Following a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, more than £1 million of restoration work has taken place on the listed buildings and walls, in addition to the renovation of formal gardens and historic landscapes.
* Since it has been accessible in previous years, it is worth checking the Open House London website to see if this building is listed as being open in September.
This is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and whacky buildings to be found, even in the most unpromising areas covered by the Greater London Underground stations. Usually the places listed are within a mile of the Tube - often only five minutes walk away. If you reached this as an individual page via a search engine, you might like to go to www.londontuberambles.co.uk to see the other destinations explored . You'll be amazed at what's out there!
©DR2006