Seventy years ago, on 9 September 1940, shocked parishioners saw
the ruins of St Mary's Church burning. A large high explosive bomb
had been dropped during the third night of the London Blitz and St
Mary's is reputed to have been the first church in the capital to
have been devastated.
Only the tower and spire built in 1754 remained standing.
In 1954, the architects, Seely and Paget, were briefed by the
Revd Hugh Gough, Vicar, to create a Church that was spacious and
light. Construction took two years and the church was opened on 17
December 1956. This explains the churches modern looking windows
combined with the old tower and spire.
Visitors to St Mary's today still enter through a porch beneath
the eighteenth century spire and on entering the vast worship space
look up into the light interior. Behind them, over the door, a
guilt inscription reads, "Destroyed by war. Restored in faith."
Source http://www.stmaryislington.co.uk/
