ABOUT ST. MARY'S
St. Mary's has served as a spiritual landmark and gathering place for people of all faiths throughout the centuries. We are a welcoming and inclusive community, dedicated to fostering spiritual growth and helping people of all backgrounds come together to celebrate faith and life.
St Mary's Church is not only the landmark emblem for the borough of Harrow but it's also Harrow's oldest building, and is Grade-I listed. The name Harrow derives from the Anglo-Saxon word hearg which means worshipping place! The links of the church to Harrow's spiritual history are beautifully displayed in the magnificent stained glass windows in our clerestory.
Our Beginnings
St. Mary's Church was consecrated by St. Anselm soon after the arrival of William the Conquerer in Britain. Burial remains located in the corner of the church suggest that there may have been a Saxon church on the site even before the consecration, cementing our role as a long-lasting spiritual home.
Links with Harrow
We share a rich history with the community on the hill. We are the spiritual home and burial place of John Lyon, founder of Harrow School. For hundreds of years since, St Mary’s Church has been, and still is, a lively Christian place of worship. We continue to have a close relationship with Harrow school, and our church contains a number of memorials and gravestones associated with the school.
Our Spire
Our church spire is a monument to the spirituality of our community, and is Harrow's most recognisable landmark. It can be seen from miles away, and is the highest structure in Middlesex. Standing tall after 550 years, it has just had major renovations made possible through your generous donations.
