St Clement Danes


St Clement Danes is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London. It is now situated near the 19th-century Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand in Aldwych. Although the first church on the site was reputedly founded in the 9th century by the Danes, the current building replaced the medieval church building and was completed in 1682 by celebrated architect Sir Christopher Wren. Wren's building was gutted by Luftwaffe bombing raids during the Blitz and not restored until 1958, when it was adapted to its current function as the central church of the Royal Air Force.
The church might be the one featured in the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons" and the bells do indeed play that tune every day at 9 am, noon, 3pm and 6pm—as reported in 1940 the church's playing of the tune was interrupted during World War II due to Nazi bombing. However, St Clement's Eastcheap, in the City of London, is also possibly the church from the rhyme. St Clement Danes is known as one of the two 'Island Churches' in The Strand, the other being St Mary-le-Strand.

History

Connection to the Danes

There are several possible theories as to the connection between the Danes and the origins of the church. A popular theory is that in the 9th century, the Danes colonized the village of Aldwych on the river between the City of London and the future site of Westminster. This was during the Danelaw and London was on the dividing line between the English and the Danes. The Danes founded a church at Aldwych, hence the final part of its name. However; Aldwych is an English name and doesn't seem to have any Danish influence. An alternative view is that after Alfred the Great had driven the Danes out of the City of London and they had been required to accept Christianity, Alfred stipulated the building of the church. In either case, being a seafaring people, the Danes named the church they built after St Clement, patron saint of mariners.
Other possible ideas are that in the 11th century after Siward, Earl of Northumbria, killed the Dane Tosti, Earl of Huntingdon, and his men, the deceased were buried in a field near London and a memorial church was subsequently built to honour the memory of the Danes. Also possible is that the Danish connection was reinforced by a massacre recorded in the Jómsvíkinga saga when a group of unarmed Danes who had gathered for a church service were killed. The 12th-century historian William of Malmesbury wrote that the Danes burnt the church on the site of St Clement Danes before they were later slain in the vicinity. Another possible explanation for the name is that, as King Harold I "Harefoot" is recorded as having been buried in the church in March 1040, the church acquired its name on account of Harold's Danish connections.

Medieval church

The church was first rebuilt by William the Conqueror, and then again later in the Middle Ages.
A new chancel was built over part of the churchyard in 1608, at a cost of more than £1,000, and various repairs and improvements to the tower and other parts of the church cost £496 in 1618.
Shortly after the Great Fire of 1666, further repairs to the steeple were attempted, but these were found impractical, and the whole tower was rebuilt from the foundations. Work was completed in 1669. Soon afterwards it was decided that the rest of the church was in such a poor state that it too should be completely rebuilt. Wren employed Edward Pierce to create the ornate interior.

Seventeenth-century rebuilding

St Clement Danes was rebuilt between 1680 and 1682 to a design by Sir Christopher Wren, incorporating the existing tower which was reclad. The new church was constructed from Portland stone, with an apse at the east end.
A steeple was added to the tower in 1719 by James Gibbs.
The interior has galleries on three sides supported by square pillars, continued above gallery level as Corinthian columns, supporting, in turn, a barrel-vaulted ceiling. Wren used the same scheme again at St James's Church, Piccadilly, begun two years later. Above the galleries, each bay has a cross vault, allowing the building to be lit from large round-headed windows on the upper level.

Later history

, often credited with the invention of Rugby football in 1823, was once rector of the church and is commemorated by a memorial tablet.
In 1844, St. Clement Danes School was constructed on land on Houghton Road, Holborn which the churchwardens had purchased in 1552. It opened in 1862 and remained there until 1928, then moved to Shepherd's Bush until 1975, when it was finally re-established as a comprehensive school in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire.
The church was almost destroyed by Luftwaffe bombing raids during the Blitz on 10 May 1941. The outer walls, the tower and Gibbs's steeple survived the raids, but the interior was gutted by fire. As a result of the blaze, the church's ten bells fell to the ground. Subsequently, they were placed in storage and were recast after the war.

As the Central Church of the Royal Air Force

Following an appeal for funds by the Royal Air Force, the church was completely restored under the supervision of Sam Lloyd. In 1958, St Clement Danes Church was reconsecrated in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and his Royal Highness Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh as the Central Church of the Royal Air Force.
As part of the rebuilding, the following inscription was added under the restored Royal coat of arms:
which may be translated as: "Christopher Wren built it 1672. The thunderbolts of aerial warfare destroyed it 1941. The Royal Air Force restored it 1958."

Current worship and services

The church is known for its excellent Anglican choral tradition of Eucharist and Matins At its roots it is Anglican and is also known for its ecumenical representation of the RAF Chaplains Branch. Services are regularly held and open to the public. Special services take place to commemorate prominent occasions of the RAF and its associated organisations. Royal Air Force Music Services provides first class musical support. The King's Colour Squadron, formerly the Queen's Colour Squadron, attends at events and ceremonies charged with the safe-keeping of the King's Colour for the Royal Air Force and other ceremonial duties at the RAF's central church.
  • Saint Clement is commemorated every April at St Clement Danes, a modern clementine custom/revival. The Reverend William Pennington-Bickford initiated the service in 1919 to celebrate the restoration of the famous church bells and carillon, which he'd had altered to ring out the popular nursery rhyme. This special service for children ends with the distribution of oranges and lemons to the boys and girls. Formerly William Bickford, William Pennington-Bickford was Rector from 1910 to 1941 and he and his wife Louisa became known for their devotion to the welfare of the parish.
  • In 2008, the church was one of the venues where people gathered as part of the Armed Forces Day of Prayer.
  • In 2013 a short service was held for Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The coffin was then transferred to a gun carriage drawn by the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. The cortège then continued along Fleet Street towards St Paul’s Cathedral.
  • On the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the RAF, celebrations took place at St Clement Danes.
  • In 2025, St Clement Danes hosted a special service marking the 25th anniversary of the lifting of the ban on LGBTQ+ personnel serving in His Majesty's Armed Forces. The service was organised and introduced by the Resident Chaplain, the Reverend Mark Perry. The sermon was delivered by the Deputy Chaplain-in-Chief Personnel, the Reverend Ruth Hake, and the Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Giles Legood, together with the Reverend Andy Chapman, Padre to the LGBTQ+ defence community, also took part in the service. The service was broadcast on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship on 23 February 2025.

    Community of the Cross of Nails

The Central Church of the RAF is a member of Coventry Cathedral Community of the Cross of Nails. The three guiding principles are Healing the wounds of history, Learning to live with difference and celebrate diversity, and Building a culture of justice and peace. The Community of the Cross of Nails is guided by the words 'Father Forgive', and praying the Litany of Reconciliation. "The Cross of Nails is a symbol of hope and friendship in the aftermath of conflict." Archbishop Justin Welby.

The Friends of St Clement Danes

The Friends of St Clement Danes support the work and ministry of the Central Church of the Royal Air Force. The Friends' Patron-in-Chief is Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and its Patron is Air Chief Marshall Sir Richard Knighton Chief of the Air Staff

Resident Chaplains

St Clement Danes, the Central Church of the Royal Air Force is led by a Royal Air Force Chaplain appointed by the Chaplain-in-Chief. In 1958, Gerald Groves became the inaugural Resident Chaplain for the church's re-consecration in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II following the destruction caused by World War II.
  • 1958–1959 Gerald Groves
  • 1959–1960 Hugh Rees
  • 1960–1965 Tom Ryder
  • 1965–1969 Leonard Ashton
  • 1969–1971 Walter Pellant
  • 1971–1976 Thomas Thomas
  • 1976–1979 Glyndwr Renowden
  • 1979–1982 Dennis Clark
  • 1982–1984 Raymond Hubble
  • 1984–1987 Roger Kenward
  • 1987–1989 Michael Stokes
  • 1989–1991 William Sirr
  • 1991–1993 Anthony Goode
  • 1993–1995 George McAvoy
  • 1995–1997 Peter Bishop
  • 1997–2002 David Mackenzie
  • 2002–2005 Christopher Long
  • 2005–2009 Thomas Lee
  • 2008–2010 Canon Adrian Gatrill
  • 2010–2022 David Osborn
  • 2022–2025 Mark Perry
  • 2025 - present Ashley Mitchell

    Directors of Music

  • 1958–1992 Martindale Sidwell
  • 1992–2015 Peter Long
  • 2015–present Simon Over
Assistant Directors of Music
  • 2016-present Charlie Newsome-Hubbard