 The first church print dates from 1791 showing the current west tower. In 1816 Parliament passed an act for 'enlarging, improving, and repairing the church'. at a cost of £3000; after the Bishop of London dedicated the church, 1209 poor persons were fed. In 1891 the church was enlarged to accommodate the expanding population. |
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The earliest mention of Woodford dates from before the conquest; in 1062 the manor of Wodeforda was granted to the Abbey of Waltham, which retained it until the dissolution in 1540. A church existed by the late 12th century. Click here to read an description of Woodford in 1876
On the afternoon of Sunday, February 9th, 1969 the church was destroyed by fires which had been lit in five places. The silver, some vestments, and the registers dating back to 1558, were saved from the flames. While the building lay in ruins, services were held in the Memorial Hall; the 'the real church - the people of St Mary's - had not been destroyed'.
The new building, designed by John Phillips, is almost square and full of light, with the altar close to the centre. It was re-dedicated by the Bishop of Barking on Saturday, June 3rd, 1972, and incorporates a Chapel dedicated to St Philip and St James, commemorating the amalgamation of the two parishes in the previous year.
The church contains interesting memorials dating back to the 17th century, highlighting Woodford's history including Blessed John Larke, Rector in the 1520s, was martyred at Tyburn in 1544 for defying Henry VIII's supremacy in matters of religion. A memorial stone lists all our Rectors from 1221 t0 2008.