St Mary-at-Finchley Church

St Mary-at-Finchley Church stands in the London Borough of Barnet, on Hendon Lane near Finchley Library. It serves as the Church of England parish church for Finchley and traces its origins to the 12th century. Traces of an earlier building appear in records from 1274, and by 1356 it was dedicated to St Mary. The north wall and tower, dating from the reign of Henry VII, remain the oldest parts of the structure. A Norman ambry and font bowl, rescued from the rectory grounds in the 19th century, survive from the church’s early years. The church is worth visiting for its layered history and notable features. Its organ, installed by Henry Willis & Sons in 1878, was restored in 2011 after wartime damage. The east end was rebuilt in 1953 following Blitz bombing, and craftsmen from Caroe and Partners created a new altar, reredos, screen and pulpit. A wall hanging made in 2000 depicts the groups active in the church at the close of the 20th century. The building holds Grade II* listed status, granted in 1949. Inside, visitors find the Norman ambry and font bowl set into the north wall. The marble effigy of Alexander King and his wife, dated 1618, and a brass plate to Richard Prate from 1487, mark some of the oldest monuments. The churchyard contains graves of Thomas Payne, the radical bookseller, and Major John Cartwright, a political reformer. The organ, moved to the west end after the bombing, now stands restored at the heart of the building.