Church of St Mary

St Mary the Virgin stands in Wanstead, a leafy suburb of east London. The church sits on Overton Drive and is the only Grade I listed building in the London Borough of Redbridge. Its parish dates back to 1208, though the present structure replaced an earlier medieval church. The new building was erected between 1787 and 1790, moved 21 metres north from its original site. Architect Thomas Hardwick designed it, and the foundation stone was laid in July 1787. The church’s completion was marked by a consecration led by Beilby Porteus, Bishop of London, in June 1790. The old church was demolished, but its grand monument to Josiah Child was preserved and relocated inside. James Tylney-Long donated the land for the new building from his Wanstead House estate. The ceremony included a reception at the grand house before the work finished. Inside, visitors find the monument to Josiah Child, a notable figure from the old church. The churchyard holds graves of sculptor Joseph Wilton and Vice-Admiral Robert Plampin of the Royal Navy. The building’s neoclassical design reflects the 18th-century style of Hardwick. The surrounding area remains a peaceful contrast to central London. The church’s history ties closely to Wanstead’s past.