Welcome

Welcome to St Anslelm Belmont: a genuinely recycled church . . .

Did you know that our church community began in a tent, or that we now worship in a genuinely recycled building?

All churches are unique in their own way and St Anselm's has its own very individual story to tell about how it all began. 

On the first Sunday of August 1935 the first service at St Anselm's was held in a marquee which was pitched on the site where our church now stands. A strong gale on the night of September 16th-17th blew the marquee down but it was in place again by the following Sunday! Electricity was installed to replace the use of candles that month and in October 1935 a brick fireplace was installed to heat the tent by smokeless fuel! The Dedication and Opening Services were held in the newly built hall that which was to be used as a church (St Aidan's Church) that winter but it was only a matter of time before the building of the current church would begin.

By November 1938 it had been agreed that the building for the new church of what would now be called St Anselm's Church would begin: the structure and fabric of the building was to be moved from St Anselm's in Davies Street, Mayfair, which was, at that time, for sale. £16,000 from the proceeds of this sale was given to build the new church.

In May 1939 the stone pillars, the huge west window and all the materials for the building of our church began to arrive on site and was carefully stored and numbered so that the church could be re-built as it had once stood in Mayfair. However, in September 1939 the 2nd World War broke out.. As far as we know St But, despite an increasing shortage of labour....

St Anselm's is the only church in the country to have been started and completed during the war years: it was completed, and consecrated by the Bishop of London, Dr Geoffry Fisher  on Saturday, May 17th 1941 with 609 people attended the ceremony.

If you're interested in learning more about the history and architecture of our church read our story or have a look at British History Online and scroll down to 'St Anselm's Church and Vicarage.