St. George's Church, Lisbon

St George's Church is the only English-speaking Anglican congregation in Lisbon, Portugal. It is at Rua São Jorge 6, north of the Estrela Garden.

St George's Church, Lisbon
LocationRua São Jorge 6, Lisbon, Portugal
CountryPortugal
DenominationChurch of England
WebsiteGreater Lisbon Chaplaincy
History
DedicationSaint George
Consecrated17 March 1889
Architecture
Architect(s)John Medland and
Charles Edward Powell
StyleRomanesque Revival
Years built1889
Administration
ParishGreater Lisbon Chaplaincy
ArchdeaconryGibraltar
DioceseEurope
ProvinceCanterbury
Clergy
Chaplain(s)Elizabeth Bendry
Paula Rennie - Minister resident in the Chaplaincy

History

In 1654 a treaty between Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell of England and King John IV of Portugal (signed on his behalf by João Rodrigues de Sá e Menezes, Count of Penaguião) allowed English residents in Portugal to "profess their own Religion in private houses... and that finally a Place be allowed for them to bury their dead". A chaplaincy was established, with services held in the home of the British Envoy.[1]

The original church, built in 1822 and destroyed by a fire in 1886.

Cemetery

Although a burial ground had been promised by the 1654 treaty, implementation was thwarted by the Portuguese Inquisition. Land was finally leased in 1717[2]; the first burial was that of Francis La Roche, a Huguenot refugee, who died in 1724.[3]

Notable burials in the cemetery include the tombs of the writer Henry Fielding, of hymn-writer Philip Doddridge, of merchant David de Pury, astronomer Carl Ludwig Christian Rümker, Field Marshal of the Portuguese land army Christian August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont[4] and diplomat Thomas Barclay.

The cemetery includes 31 Commonwealth War Graves: five from the First World War and 26 from the Second.[5] 29 are in individual plots; two are in private family vaults. They include members of the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Merchant Navy and British Overseas Airways Corporation.

The former Regent of Hungary, Admiral Miklós Horthy, who died in exile in Portugal, was buried in the cemetery, along with his wife and son. In 1993 they were exhumed, and re-interred in the Horthy family mausoleum in Kenderes.[6]

Church Building

Anglicans in Portugal petitioned for permission to build a church, but until the early 19th century the Portuguese Inquisition prevailed on the monarch not to grant it. A church of St George the Martyr was built in the cemetery in 1822. That church was consecrated in 1843[7] but was damaged by earthquake in 1859.[8] It was rebuilt, but burnt down in 1886. The present church was designed by the London-based architects John Medland and Charles Edward Powell and consecrated in 1889.[1] It is a Romanesque Revival building with a narthex, blind arcades and rose window on its west front. The windows are by Lavers & Westlake.[9]

Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy

In 1984 St George's was amalgamated with St Paul's Church, Estoril to form the Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy.[1] This is part of the Church of England Diocese in Europe.

Chaplains

Chaplains of St George's

In the early years there were many long periods of interregnum.[10] The last of these was from 1800 to 1812, due to the Peninsular War.

  • Zachary Cradock, 1656-1660, subsequently Provost of Eton
  • Thomas Marsden, 1661-1663
  • Michael Geddes, 1678-1688, subsequently Chancellor of Salisbury Cathedral[11]
  • John Colbatch, 1688-1698, subsequently Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge
  • Jonathan Swift, appointed 1702, but never went to Lisbon; subsequently well-known as a satirist, and Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
  • Joseph Wilcocks, 1709-1714, subsequently Bishop of Gloucester and then concurrently Bishop of Rochester and Dean of Westminster
  • Joseph Simms, 1721-1734, subsequently Prebendary of Lincoln Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral[12]
  • Staveley Parker, 1743-1749
  • John Williamson, 1749-1763
  • William Allen, 1763-1782
  • Herbert Hill, 1782-1800
  • Robert Marrat Miller, 1812-1818
  • Thomas Hurford Siely, 1819-1840
  • George Sayle Prior, 1841-1861
  • Thomas Kenworthy Brown, 1861-1867
  • Thomas Godfrey Pembroke Pope, 1867-1902, invited to become the bishop of the Lusitanian Church in 1889, but which he declined[13]
  • William Hawkesley Westall, 1902-1907
  • Edward Pilcher Lewis, 1907-1915
  • Joseph Henry Morton Nodder, 1915-1924
  • Charles James Hamilton Dobson, 1925-1930
  • Cyril Gerald Holland, 1930-1935
  • Herbert Pentin, 1936-1937
  • Harry Frank Fulford Williams, 1937-1945
  • Hugh Farie, 1945-1959
  • Robert William Scrymgour Dand, 1960-1966
  • Henry Chatfield-Jude, 1966-1976
  • Victor Andrew Joseph Ravensdale, 1977-1984

Chaplains of the Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy

Fincham Pipe Organ

When the existing church was designed, traditional choir stalls were included in front of the Sanctuary and Henry Fincham of London built and installed a two-manual pipe organ for £526.[23] It has 25 ranks with 61-note compass of the manuals and 30-note compass of the pedals. There were two minor changes to the Great organ which, in its original state, did not include mutation stops. The organ was restored in 1971.[24]

This is the current disposition of the organ after 125 years of use:

Great – I

  • 8' Open Diapason
  • 8' Lieblich Gedacht
  • 8' Gambe
  • 4' Principal
  • 2​2⁄3' Nazard
  • 2' Fifteenth
  • 1​3⁄5' Tierce
  • 8' Corno de Bassetto
  • 8' Trumpet

Pedal

  • 16' Grande Open Diapason
  • 16' Bourdon

Swell – II

  • 16' Double Open Diapason
  • 8' Horn Diapason
  • 8' Stopped Diapason
  • 8' Vox Angelica
  • 8' Voix Celeste
  • 4' Principal
  • 4' Flûte a Cheminee
  • 2' Fifteenth
  • III Mixture
  • 8' Cornopean
  • 8' Hautboy
  • 8' Vox Humana
  • Swell Tremulant
  • Swell to Great Super
  • Swell to Great
  • Swell to Pedal
  • Great to Pedal
  • Swell shades open catch mechanism
  • 5 pre-set piston shoes

See also

References
  1. "The History of St George's Church". Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  2. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, p 21.
  3. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, p 23.
  4. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, p 32.
  5. "Lisbon (St George) British Churchyard". Cemetery details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  6. "Braham, Randolph L, "The Reinterment and Political Rehabilitation of Miklós Horthy", Slavic Almanach, Vol 2, 1993, pp 137-140 via Hungarian Spectrum, 15 September 2013". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  7. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, p 43.
  8. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, p 44.
  9. "Lisbon Anglicans: St George's – The Windows". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  10. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, pp 67-69.
  11. "Clergy of the Church of England Database: Michael Geddes 124533". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  12. "Clergy of the Church of England Database: Joseph Simms 3332". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  13. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, p 51.
  14. Crockford's Clerical Directory, 2006-07, 99th edition, p 23.
  15. Crockford's Clerical Directory, 2006-07, 99th edition, p 691.
  16. Crockford's Clerical Directory, 2006-07, 99th edition, p 112.
  17. "Church Times, 14 September 2012". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  18. "Church Times, 22 February 2013". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  19. "Church Times, 8 August 2014". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  20. "Church Times, 16 September 2016". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  21. "Church Times, 1 June 2019". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  22. "Church Times, 9 October 2020".
  23. "Finchams: Henry Fincham". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  24. Hampton, John D and Staines, EN, History of the Lisbon Chaplaincy, 1989, 2nd edition, St George's Church Council, p 64.
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