The Moorings, Battersea Church Road, London SW11 3NA
St Mary’s Church, Battersea
Church
Place photograph
6.3
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Check
Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
6.3A church has stood beside the Thames at Battersea since around AD 800. The present Grade I listed building, designed by local architect Joseph Dixon, opened in 1777.
This is more than a handsome riverside church: the site connects Battersea’s early parish history with a distinctive Georgian building and a medieval window opening that survives within it. Its significance is best explored by looking closely at the architecture and checking in advance that visitors can enter.
Atmospheric · Historic
Find your way
Open mapThe Moorings, Battersea Church Road, London SW11 3NA
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
Visit for the layered history and architectural details, but plan around worship and verify access first. The supplied sources do not establish a guaranteed sightseeing opening or a full-day itinerary.
Things to do
Read the church’s architectural outline
Look at the short square tower, steeple and four-columned Ionic porch. These features are described in the Open House Festival listing.
Find the medieval east-window opening
The Open House Festival listing dates the original east-window opening to 1379 and describes the historic glass and heraldic details associated with it.
Trace the church’s earlier history
The church’s history page says Battersea appears in a charter of 693 and that there was probably an Anglo-Saxon church on this site by about 800; it also notes that the earlier foundations were destroyed when the present church was built.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Check visitor access and allow time to explore at your own pace.
A closer look at St Mary’s
- 01
Check with the church that visitors can enter at your chosen time.
- 02
Approach the church as a historic building: notice its Ionic porch, tower and steeple.
- 03
Inside, look for the medieval east-window opening and the historic glass and heraldic details described by Open House Festival.
Half day · Check route details and allow a half day if following a wider walk.
Add a Battersea heritage walk
- 01
Use St Mary’s as one stop on a Battersea heritage walk.
- 02
The supplied walking-tour article places the church in a wider exploration of old Battersea and discusses its connections with Turner, William Blake and Benedict Arnold.
- 03
Check the article and current local conditions for the full route; the supplied evidence does not provide verified distance, timing or turn-by-turn directions.
Verified history
The church’s history page says Battersea first appears in written history in a charter of 693 and that there was probably an Anglo-Saxon church on this site by around 800. It describes medieval alterations, including an east-window opening dating to 1379–80. The Open House Festival listing says the present church was designed by local architect and churchwarden Joseph Dixon, that its first stone was laid in 1775, and that it opened on 16 November 1777. The supplied walking-tour article describes connections with Turner, William Blake and Benedict Arnold, but the supplied evidence does not establish the details of those connections.
Hidden details
A medieval opening in the Georgian church — The Open House Festival listing identifies the east-window opening as dating to 1379. It describes the later glass and heraldic imagery associated with the window.
The earlier church is not visible as foundations — The church history page says the foundations of the probable Anglo-Saxon church were destroyed when the current church was built. Avoid expecting visible Saxon remains on site.
When to go
· When the church confirms it is open to visitors; no preferred time is established by the supplied evidence.
The supplied sources do not identify a seasonal advantage for visiting.
Check the forecast if including the church in a wider outdoor Battersea walk.
Worth pairing with
Battersea heritage walk
A supplied walking-tour article includes St Mary’s in a wider Battersea walk and discusses the area’s historic character. Verify the route details before setting out.
What to look for
- 01
The short square tower and steeple
- 02
the four-columned Ionic porch
- 03
the east-window opening dating to 1379–80
- 04
and the yellow-and-gold glass and heraldic imagery described in the Open House Festival listing.
The story
Saints & pilgrimage, Archaeology
Best time to go
Year-round; check opening arrangements before visiting.
Choose a time when the church confirms it is open to visitors; the supplied sources do not establish reliable sightseeing hours.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers · Architecture lovers
Before you go
Address
Phone
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: 10am-4pm
- Tuesday: 10am-4pm
- Wednesday: 10am-4pm
- Thursday: 10am-4pm
- Friday: 10am-4pm
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: 8am-1pm
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
The church website says it is open most days for prayer and worship. Check current visitor access and service times before travelling.
Check before visiting
Parking
Check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Toilets
The source row reports a toilet; confirm visitor availability before travelling.
Food & drink
Check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Dogs
Check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Accessibility
The source row reports a wheelchair-accessible entrance, car park and toilet. Confirm current arrangements directly with the church.
Cost
Check before visiting
Check before visiting
Water
River
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around St Mary’s Church, Battersea
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
