St George's, Hanover Square

St George’s, Hanover Square stands in Mayfair, a single block south of Hanover Square and close to Oxford Circus. Built early in the 18th century as one of fifty new churches around London, it was designed by John James on land donated by General William Steuart. The church’s west end rises to a tower behind a portico of six Corinthian columns. Inside, the nave is spanned by a barrel vault while aisles have transverse vaults supported by square piers that become Corinthian columns. Its location made it a fashionable place for society weddings from the start. The church’s long musical tradition includes Handel, who worshipped here and helped appoint its first organist in 1725. Handel wrote Messiah in 1741 while living nearby in Brook Street. Today the church houses a professional choir and hosts the annual London Handel Festival. A restoration appeal launched in 2006 raised funds for essential repairs, and concerts continue to support the work. The Orpheus Sinfonia, made up of recent music graduates, also performs here regularly. Visitors find the portico projecting over the pavement and the tower rising above the west end. Inside, the nave and aisles are separated by piers that rise to Corinthian columns supporting the ceiling. The churchyard at Mount Street was cleared and turned into a small park where old tombstones were reused for drainage. A burial ground at Bayswater once held the remains of Laurence Sterne and Ann Radcliffe before being levelled for development. The building remains a centre for choral music and a record of Mayfair’s social history.