Croxley Green U3A

Each month our group visits a different place of worship to find out more about their history, culture, beliefs and ethos. All members are encouraged to suggest or organise visits, which typically last an hour to an hour and a half. Visits are normally arranged for the morning of the second Friday of the month, though this may vary depending on the availability of the venue. We are a very sociable group and will normally meet for tea/coffee before a visit or arrange to have lunch together afterwards for those who can stay. Here is a report of a recent visit, with text by Gillian Williams and photos from Chris Hankinson:

Visit on 8 May 2026 to Holy Sepulchre Church, Holborn Viaduct  

The National Musicians' Church and home of the Musicians' Chapel and of the Royal Fusiliers' Chapel

We were given such a warm welcome by everyone in the Church. It was an amazing visit.  Reverend Nick Mottershead (Fr Nick) is Priest - in - charge. Unusually he has 2 full time jobs- that of Rector and also as CFO and Head of Compliance at a Fintech company. Nick’s energy, enthusiasm, compassion and thoughtfulness shone through his talk and welcome. 

We were taken through Holy Sepulchre’s history including its change of names over the years - St Edmunds and the Holy Sepulchre,  Saint Sepulchre - without - Newgate, Holy Sepulchre  Evidence from the Bodleian Library is very persuasive in establishing that it is a Wren church.. 

Holy Sepulchre is a Grade 1 listed building and is the largest Parish Church in the City of London. The benefice includes Christ Church Greyfriars and St Leonard Foster Lane, water fountains and Postman’s Park. It is a Saxon Church in origin and inevitably has gone through various refurbishments and rebuilds. It was associated with the Crusades and Knights of the Templar. The porch, and most of the tower date back to 1450. 

The tower houses 12 bells - these are the bells cited in Oranges and Lemons - “the Bells of Old Bailey”. A peal of bells is apparently more than 3 hours!. The Church organises concerts and “hearings” for the bells, whilst the organ, which is being renovated at the moment is apparently one of the finest in the world.

To the South East is the Royal Fusiliers' Chapel. The “Colours” adorn the South side of the church on the ceiling and around the Royal Arms. One dates back to the late 1700’s and as the cloth falls away the pieces are collected and cremated and buried as one would a person. Very moving.

To the North side is the Musicians' Chapel where Henry Wood is buried - the wreath from the Proms adorns his plaque. The Church played a big part in nurturing Henry Wood’s love of music and hosts a Prom annually after the Last Night of the Proms. Henry Wood apparently introduced ice cream for children at the Proms!.

Along with the history of the Church we were introduced to the current aims and objectives  of the Church as it forges its way forward in the 21st century with an acronym WHEATS standing for Worship and prayer, Hospitality and compassion, Education and evangelism, Art, music and creative industries, Tourism, Stewardship of the building and all we use it for. Regular concerts are held and talks for the local community along with services and a host of other activities. We all agreed that this is a church we should visit again.

OTHER PLACES WE HAVE VISITED 

These have ranged from churches, mosques, temples and a Quaker meeting house, both in the local area and ones in London and further afield. They have included the following:

Sarratt Church
London Central Mosque
Neasden Hindu Temple (2 visits)
St John the Baptist, Little Missenden
Christ Church, Chorleywood
Jordan's Quaker Village
St Alban's Cathedral
Middle Temple Church
Hare Chrishna, Aldenham
Sikh Gurdwara, Shepherds Bush
Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Stevenage
St Mary's Parish Church, Watford
Tin Church, Bedmond
St Lawrence, Abbots Langley
Salvation Army, St Alban's Road
Chelsea Hospital & Wren Chapel
Dunstable Priory
St Mary's, Rickmansworth
Oxhey Chapel
Jain Temple, Potter's Bar
Westminster Catholic Cathedral
Ayot St Peter Arts & Crafts Church,
St Barts Greater and Lesser
Central Gurdwara, Shepherds Bush
Highgate Cemetery
Coventry Cathedral
Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Bayswater
St Mary the Virgin, Kensworth
Tyburn Convent
Standon Church, near Ware
St Ethelburga's Peace and Reconciliation Centre
All Hallows by the Tower
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
St Peter's, Berkhamstead  
Fitzrovia Chapel
Our Lady's, Rickmansworth
Brompton Oratory
St Lawrence Jewry
Charterhouse Medieval Monastery
All Saints Church, Croxley Green