Croydon Minster

Visit Croydon Minster, an historic church with an interesting history.

The site of the church in Croydon has been a place of worship since Saxon times, with several different churches being built on the site over the course of several centuries. A fire caused severe damage in 1867, leaving only the tower, south porch and outer walls. It was rebuilt and reopened a few years later.

Enter through the door beneath the imposing medieval West Tower and pause for a moment before the World War II memorial arch.

Look for the many historical features, including monuments to local benefactor John Whitgift, who was Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Elizabeth I and Archbishop Sheldon, who founded the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford and died in Croydon. The original 15th-century brass eagle lectern, was saved from the 1867 fire and is in use today.

The floor of the richly decorated chancel, with its rounded, wagon-shaped roof, is home to a number of Victorian tiles which feature the Minster Rose, the symbol of the church.