Dutch Church, Austin Friars
Encyclopedia
The Dutch Church is a familiar landmark within Broad Street Ward
, in the City of London
. The original church was a monastic foundation and the Dutch connection goes back to 1550 when King Edward VI
gave Protestant refugees from the Netherlands permission to establish their own parish. It is as such the oldest Dutch-language
Protestant church in the world.
In 1940, the building was destroyed during the Blitz
, but in 1950 a new church was built to the design of Arthur Bailey. The new building is a concrete box frame, externally clad in Portland stone
. The church possesses detailed archives, and is a popular tourist attraction, it celebrated its 450th anniversary in the millennium year.
The church was designated a Grade II listed building on 25 September 1998.
Broad Street (ward)
Broad Street is one of the 25 ancient wards in the City of London.In mediaeval times it was divided into ten precincts and contained six churches, of which only two, St Margaret Lothbury and All Hallows-on-the-Wall now survive: St Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange was demolished in 1840, St Benet Fink...
, in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The original church was a monastic foundation and the Dutch connection goes back to 1550 when King Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
gave Protestant refugees from the Netherlands permission to establish their own parish. It is as such the oldest Dutch-language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
Protestant church in the world.
In 1940, the building was destroyed during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
, but in 1950 a new church was built to the design of Arthur Bailey. The new building is a concrete box frame, externally clad in Portland stone
Portland stone
Portland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles, notably in major...
. The church possesses detailed archives, and is a popular tourist attraction, it celebrated its 450th anniversary in the millennium year.
The church was designated a Grade II listed building on 25 September 1998.