After work today I went sightseeing in Millwall.
Millwall is best known to me at least for the Football Club, Millwall F.C. who now play in Bermondsey and have not played in Millwall for some time.
But if you look on the bus map of Millwall above, you will see the purpose of my visit – to view St Edmund’s School and Church, and a statue – in honour of St Edmund Rich of Abingdon.
My first view of the church was a little disconcerting. The notice on the property alongside says “DANGER – ANTI CLIMBING DEVICE – Treated with Anthrax.” Then I read the small print … “and a dose of British sense of humour.”
I am not sure how a church in Millwall, Isle of Dogs, London has managed to get such a superb memorial to St Edmund of Abingdon.
A church called St Edmund’s was opened in Millwall in August 1875, replacing a church called St Edward’s.
The current building looks a far more recent addition. So having done my sight seeing and not been able to explain the association with St Edmund of Abingdon I returned to Mudchute Station on the The Docklands Light Railway to return from whence I came. By the way – the Mudchute in question was a huge pile created when Millwall Dock was dug out in 1860.
Perhaps you could put the image of St Edmund alongside the picture from the stained glass window in Our Lady and St Edmund’s church here in Abingdon? Perhaps the statue was modelled on the image in the church here?
Wow, that’s really interesting – my Dad was born into a slum dwelling Catholic family just a stone’s throw away from here on the Poplar/Millwall border, may even have visited this church. Moved to Abingdon in the post war years. Many happy childhood visits to the People’s Republic of the Isle of Dogs of the 1970’s, traumatised by pie and mash, eels, tripe and other Cockney delicacies. And we got married at St Edmunds in Abingdon…
Don’t think there’s any further link than one of those freaky/happy coincidences, but thank you so much for taking the time and trouble over stuff like this -really brightens my day!
That’s really interesting Alistair. Thanks for you investigations – l look forward to the next installment.
i work here as grounds man i hope you like my new gardens