The following information has been condensed from
articles in Wikipedia:
St Paul's Church, also commonly known as the
Actors' Church, is a church located in Covent
Garden. As well as being the parish church of
Covent Garden, the church gained its nickname by
a long association with the theatre
community.
In 1631 Inigo Jones was commissioned by Francis
Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford to design a church.
Work on the church began that year and was
completed in 1633, at a cost of £4000, with
it becoming consecrated in 1638. In 1645 Covent
Garden was made a separate parish and the church
was dedicated to St Paul.
The first known victim of the 1665–1666
outbreak of the Plague in England, Margaret
Ponteous, was buried in the churchyard on 12
April 1665. In 1788 Thomas Hardwick began a major
restoration. However, in 1795 there was a
terrible fire. Although much was destroyed, the
parish records were saved, as was the pulpit, the
work of Grinling Gibbons.
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St Paul's connection with the theatre began as
early as 1663 with the establishment of the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and was further
assured in 1723 with the opening of Covent Garden
Theatre, now the Royal Opera House.
On 9 May 1662, Samuel Pepys noted in his diary
the first "Italian puppet play" under the portico
- the first recorded performance of "Punch and
Judy", a fact commemorated by the annual MayFayre
service in May.
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The artist J. M. W. Turner and dramatist W. S.
Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame), were both
baptised at St Paul's. Among those buried at St
Paul's are Samuel Butler, Grinling Gibbons, Sir
Peter Lely and Thomas Arne (composer of "Rule
Britannia").
The ashes of Dame Ellen Terry and Dame Edith
Evans rest in St Paul's. Memorials in the church
are dedicated to many famous personalities of the
20th century, including Charlie Chaplin, Noel
Coward, Gracie Fields, Vivien Leigh and Ivor
Novello.
The Avenue of Stars passes outside the church and
commemorates many notable figures and groups from
the entertainment industry.The portico of St
Paul's was the setting for the first scene of
Shaw's Pygmalion, the play that was later adapted
as the musical My Fair Lady.
The church is surrounded by an award-winning
garden, providing an area of tranquility within
busy central London. Each year a service of
lessons and carols is held in the church just
before Christmas Day. Many of the lessons are
read by stage, TV and screen personalities.
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