The Ancient Parish of St Marylebone
Bryanston Square, Cavendish Square, Langham Place, Lisson Grove, Maida Hill, Portland Town, Portman Square and St John’s Wood are all places in the Ancient Parish of St Marylebone, which formed part of the Holborn division of the Ossulstone hundred subdivision of the county of Middlesex. Marylebone now forms part of the London Borough of Westminster. St Marylebone is located between the Middlesex parishes of Hampstead, St Pancras and Paddington, and the Westminster parishes of St Giles in the Field, St Anne Soho, St James Piccadilly and St George Hanover Square.
The Society has produced a Parish Guide to St Marylebone.
St Marylebone, Marylebone Road
The first church dedicated to St Mary was built in the 15th century at what is now the Old Church Memorial Garden at the north end of Marylebone High Street. The church was rebuilt in 1740 and this little building remained the parish church until 1817, despite the great estates around Regent’s Park being constructed. The current church on the Marylebone Road dates from 1813.
Records of the parish of St Marylebone include: baptisms (1679-1925 – this includes some baptisms from the Workhouse Chapel); marriages (1668-1923) and burials (1668-1888) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/MRY1.
All Saints, Finchley Road, St John’s Wood
In 1974 All Saints’ Church was closed (and later demolished) and in 1976 the parish was united with that of St John’s Wood, except for the parts of the former parish lying to the west of Wellington Road and Finchley Road which were transferred to the parishes of St Mark, Hamilton Terrace, St Marylebone and All Souls, Loudoun Road, South Hampstead. Records of the parish of All Saints Finchley Road include: baptisms (1728-1973); marriages (1711-1972) and burials (1802-1846) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/ALL1.
All Saints, Margaret Street
All Saints church originated in Margaret Chapel, which was constructed in around 1760. In 1839 the chapel became the centre of the High Church Tractarian Movement, a group which advocated Anglo-Catholicism. Records of the parish of All Saints Margaret Street include baptisms (1849-1898) and marriages (1860-1928) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/ALL2.
All Souls, Langham Place
All Souls was constructed by John Nash as a finishing feature to complete the view north along Regent Street standing, as it does, where that road turns into Portland Place. The church was damaged by bombing in the Second World War but was restored in 1957. The parish has been united with St Peter, Vere Street, St John the Evangelist, Fitzroy Square and others. Records of the parish of All Souls Langham Place include baptisms (1825-1983) and marriages (1825-1992) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/ALS
Brunswick Chapel, Upper Berkeley Street
This chapel was built in 1795. Records of the Brunswick Chapel include baptisms (1907-1928) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/
Christ Church, Cosway Street
Christ Church, Cosway Street was founded in 1825 as one of four district rectories within the parish of St Marylebone. St John’s Wood Chapel became a chapel of ease to Christ Church, Cosway Street in 1898 but left to become the new parish church of St Stephen in 1948 when Christ Church parish was united with St Barnabas, Bell Street. This parish was further united with St Paul, Rossmore Road in 1971 to form the parish of Christ Church and St Paul. Both churches were used until Christ Church was declared redundant in January 1977. The parish was united with St Mark with St Luke in July 1978 with St Mark’s Church becoming the parish church of the united parish, known now as the parish of Christ Church, St Marylebone. Records of the parish of Christ Church Cosway Street include: baptisms (1825-1960); marriages (1825-1957) and burials (1826-1853) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/CTC.
Emmanuel Church, Northwick Terrace, Maida Hill
Emmanuel Church was built as a proprietary chapel, known as Christ Chapel, in 1833-1834. It was consecrated in 1876 as Emmanuel Church and became a separate parish. The church was damaged by bombing in 1940. In 1952, Emmanuel Church was closed and the parish was divided between St Paul, Lisson Grove, St Mark, Hamilton Terrace, and St John’s Wood Church. Records of the parish of Emmanuel Church include baptisms (1899-1907) and marriages (1876-1950) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/EMM.
Good Shepherd Mission Church, Paddington Street
This building is still there but no longer used as a church. Records of the Good Shepherd Mission Church include baptisms (1884-1907) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/MRY1/076.
Holy Trinity, Marylebone Road
The parish of Holy Trinity was created from the parish of St Marylebone and was consecrated on 31 May 1828. It had fallen into disuse by the 1930s and was subsequently used as a store for Penguin Books and then as the headquarters of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The church is now an events space known as One Marylebone. Records of the parish of Holy Trinity Marylebone Road include: baptisms (1828-1961); marriages (1828-1942) and burials (1829-1853) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/TRI.
Oxford Chapel, Vere Street
The Oxford Chapel was constructed in 1724, becoming St Peter’s in 1832. The church never had a parish, but was a chapel-of-ease to All Souls, Langham Place. Records of the Oxford Chapel including baptisms (1736-1754) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/PET/001.
Quebec Chapel, Bryanston Street
A chapel of ease, known as the Quebec Chapel, was founded as a non-parochial place of worship on Bryanston Street, Marble Arch, around 1787. It is believed to have been converted from the riding school of the Portman Barracks. This building was demolished in 1911, as it had become dilapidated, and the Church of the Annunciation was built on the same site in 1912. Records of the Quebec Chapel include baptisms (1869-1894) and marriages (1894-1968) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/ANN.
St Andrew, Wells Street
St Andrew’s was constructed in 1845-47 on Wells Street, Marylebone but it was decided to close the church in 1932 as the population of the area had decreased. The stones were numbered and the building was carefully demolished and rebuilt in Old Church Lane, Kingsbury, Brent, to replace the tiny ancient church in this expanding suburb. Records of the parish of St Andrew Wells Street include baptisms (1847-1931) and marriages (1847-1931) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/AND.
St Barnabas, Bell Street
St Barnabas’ Church was consecrated in 1865. The church was badly damaged by bombing during World War II and from 1941 the parish was administered by the Rector of Christ Church, Cosway Street. The parishes were united with effect from 1948. Records of the parish of St Barnabas include baptisms (1866-1946) and marriages (1866-1946) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/BAN.
St Cyprian, Clarence Gate
These registers are included in with those of Christ Church, Cosway Street as St Cyprian started as a Mission Church in Christ Church’s parish. A permanent building was constructed in Glentworth Street, opening in 1903, and it is still functioning as a church to this day. Records of the parish of St Cyprian include baptisms (1866-1870) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/CTC/035-036.
St James Chapel, Westmoreland Street
Also known as Welbeck Chapel. Registers from this church have not been deposited at LMA. A visitation return from 1858 is held at Lambeth Palace Library.
St John, St John’s Wood (St John’s Wood Chapel)
St John’s Wood Chapel was built in 1814 as a chapel of ease to St Marylebone parish church and to serve the new burial ground adjoining it. In 1898 it became a chapel of ease to Christ Church, Cosway Street. St John’s increasingly became the centre of Christ Church parochial administration which, in 1941, included the parishes of St Stephen the Martyr, Avenue Road, and St Barnabas, Bell Street, some of whose records are in the St John’s Wood archive. Reorganisation of St Marylebone parish in 1945 proposed that St John’s Wood Chapel should be transferred to St Stephen’s Parish and should become the parish church of this new parish. In 1952 the name of the parish was changed to St John’s Wood. Records of the parish of St John include: baptisms (1899-1957); marriages (1927-1962) and burials (1814-1818) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/JN1.
St Luke, Nutford Place
St Luke’s church was built in 1849 as a thanksgiving for the deliverance of the area from a cholera outbreak. The parish was united with St Mark, Marylebone Road in 1952. Records of the parish of St Luke include baptisms (1855-1952) and marriages (1855-1952) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/LUK.
St Mark, Marylebone Road
St Mark’s church was constructed in 1871-72. In 1952 the parish was united with St Luke, Nutford Place. The church was closed in 1980. Records of the parish of St Mark Marylebone Road include baptisms (1872-1970 – these include baptisms at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital, 1901-1927) and marriages (1872-1893) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/MRK1.
St Mark, Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood
St Mark’s was consecrated in 1847 to meet a growing local population. Records of the parish of St Mark Hamilton Terrace include baptisms (1845-1966) and marriages (1850-1989) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/MRK2.
St Mary, Bryanston Square
St Mary’s was built between 1821 and 1824. Records of the parish of St Mary Bryanston Square include baptisms (1825-1928, with gaps); marriages (1825-1977) and banns and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/MRY2.
St Matthew, Maida Hill
St Matthew’s Church was consecrated in 1853. After WW2 the parish was united with St Paul’s, Lisson Grove. Records of the parish of St Mathew Maida Hill include baptisms (1853-1930) and marriages (1853-1940) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/MTW.
St Paul, Great Portland Street (Portland Chapel)
The church of St Paul originated as the Portland Chapel, which was constructed in 1764, and restored and consecrated in 1831. It was closed and demolished in 1908. It should not be confused with the Portman Chapel, Portman Square, which was also renamed St Paul’s. Records of the parish of St Paul, Great Portland Street include baptisms (1879-1904) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/PAU1.
St Paul, Portman Square (Portman Chapel)
The Portman Chapel was constructed in 1779 as a chapel for the newly laid out Portman Estate, which fell within the parish of St Marylebone. In 1831 the church became the parish church of St Paul. It was rebuilt and expanded in 1870 and in 1901 was reconsecrated as the parish church of St Paul, Portman Square. After World War II the population of the area decreased and the parish was united to All Souls’ Langham Place. The church was closed and demolished in 1972. Records of the parish of St Paul Portman Square include baptisms (1888-1986), marriages (1899-1988) and banns are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/PAU3.
The chapel should not be confused with the Portland Chapel, Great Portland Street, which was also renamed St Paul’s.
St Paul, Rossmore Road, Lisson Grove (St Paul’s Chapel)
This church began as St Paul’s Chapel, built in 1837-1838 soon after the closure of the Bentinck Chapel in Lisson Street. After the Second World War, the parish was united with Emmanuel, Maida Hill, and St Matthew, Maida Hill, to form the parish of St Paul with St Matthew and Emmanuel. In 1971 this parish was united with Christ Church, Cosway Street. St Paul’s Church became one of the parish churches of the parish of Christ Church and St Paul, St Marylebone, until it was closed in September 1977. Records of the parish of St Paul, Rossmore Road include: baptisms (1839-1989); marriages 1860-1958) and banns are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/PAU2.
St Peter, Vere Street
St Peter’s, constructed in 1724, was known as the Oxford Chapel, becoming St Peter’s in 1832. The church never had a parish, but was a chapel-of-ease to All Souls, Langham Place. Records of the parish of St Peter Vere Street include baptisms (1916-1976) and marriages (1736-1984) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/PET.
St Stephen the Martyr, Avenue Road, Hampstead
St Stephen’s Church, Avenue Road was consecrated in 1849 and became a parish in 1856. Although the church was situated in Hampstead, most of its parish lay within St Marylebone. From 1941, St Stephen’s parish was grouped administratively with St Barnabas, Bell Street, Christ Church, Cosway Street, and St John’s Wood Chapel. In 1945 St Stephen’s parish was split, some going to Hampstead with the St Marylebone part forming a new parish called St John’s Wood with St John’s Wood Chapel. Records of the parish of St Stephen the Martyr include baptisms (1913-1945) and marriages (1856-1930) and are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/STE1.
St Thomas, Portman Square
The parish of St Thomas Portman Square was created from the parish of St Marylebone, Marylebone Road in 1858. The church was demolished in 1931. Records of the parish of St Thomas include baptisms (1858-1916) and marriages (1858-1930) are at London Metropolitan Archives, Ref: P89/TMS.