When:
20th September 2020 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
2020-09-20T11:00:00+01:00
2020-09-20T15:00:00+01:00
Where:
Croydon Minster
Church St
Croydon CR0
UK
Cost:
Free

We are delighted to be a part of this year’s Open House Weekend on Sept 19 & 20th.

In addition to the church being open for visitors, our resident historian and Education Office, David Morgan is offering 2 talks on each day. No need to book – just come along!

(Please note, we are operating Covid-secure distancing, and we request that you wear a mask inside the church)

History of Croydon Minster at 1.30pm on Saturday

This seated talk, after which visitors will be able to view the building for themselves, will concentrate on three themes. First the links with the Archbishopric of Canterbury will be explored; 6 Archbishops are buried here. Secondly the link between Croydon and America in the 18th Century will be outlined as part of our colonial history. This will include a look at John Singleton Copley, the American artist and Thomas Hutchinson, the last colonial Governor of Massachusetts, both buried here. Thirdly the examples of structure and fittings that pre-date the 1867 fire and rebuild will be highlighted.

Lost Gravestones of Croydon Minster at 11.30am on Saturday & 12 noon on Sunday:

When the church graveyard was cleared in the 1960s to accommodate the building of a dual carriageway, all the gravestones were moved. Some were placed close to the church building. Others were used as slabs for the pathways in the church grounds. This outdoor talk includes a walk in the grounds of Croydon Minster searching out hidden gems of the remaining stones to tell the stories of folk buried here and whose names have been forgotten. A Huguenot family and an East India Trader are featured in the retelling of their tales and the rediscovering of lost history.