ST.MARGARET WESTMINSTER. ONE OF THE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF LONDON.A-LONDON-TOURIST-GUIDE WELCOMES YOU TO ANOTHER OF LONDON'S TOP TOURIST ATTRACTIONS.St.Margaret Westminster, was the marriage venue of Samuel Pepys, the Great Fire of London diarist and for Winston Churchill where he gave his name To Clementine Churchill.It is quite a large Church,just made to look small as it nestles snugly in the shadow of its colossal neighbour, the Magnificent Westminster Abbey.But why was a Church built here in the first place. Was there any need for it? We must go back to the reign of King Edward the Confessor, to answer that question. The year was 1065 and King Edward had given orders for the Consecration of the Abbey, which was the Church belonging to the Benedictine Monastery at Westminster. According to St.Benedict's Rule, the monks had to assemble throughout the day at set times to worship God by saying "the Divine Office" or more accurately to sing "the Divine Office". This 'duty' had to be carried out, nothing was to be permitted to interfere with that obligation. The local people too, had a duty to worship God, which was accomplished by attending Mass. However, in the midst of carrying out their duties, the people could not avoid intruding on the monks, therefore destroying the quietness and peace which solitude demanded, for the strict observance of their Rule. The monks therefore constructed a seperate Church for the locals, right beside the Abbey, where all the Sacraments could be ministered to them, thus leaving the monks in the Abbey untroubled. There was a very popular devotion during the Middle Ages to St.Margaret of Antioch, to whom this Church was dedicated. St.Margaret Westminster, was built during the latter part of the eleventh century in the Romanesque style, it lasted until the reign of Edward III (1327 - 1377) when a Perpendicular style nave replaced the former nave. The whole Church, at the end of the fifteenth century, through sheer neglect, had decayed to such an extent, it was in danger of collapse. It was in need of total reconstruction. Re-building commenced in 1482 and continued for over forty years until it was reconsecrated on 9th April 1523. There were further restorations in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, but by and large the Church remains more or less the same. Pope Clement III confirmed that the Church of St.Margaret Westminster, was outside the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, when in July 1189 he conferred a grant to the Abbot of Westminster. This was followed in 1222, by a declaration to say, not only was it outside the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, but also outside of the Archbishop of Canterbury's jurisdiction as well. St.Margaret Westminster, became a 'Royal Peculiar' in 1560 when Queen Elizabeth 1 re-founded the Abbey as a collegiate Church, thereby maintaining its exemption from Episcopal Authority, subject to the authority of the sovereign as visitor. It remained so until 1840, when the Church of St.Margaret and Parish were placed within the Diocese of London. These days, due to a falling parish population, the Church of St.Margaret is under the authority of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, (one of the Canons serving as Rector) whilst the parish has been amalgamated with neighbouring parishes.
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