London: Open House at parish of St Mellitus

St Mellitus Church will be taking part in London's Open House Festival over the weekend of 4-5 September for the first time. 2021 marks 150 years since the imposing neo-classical building was built in Tollington Park by the Congregationalists, in those days with the open fields of north London beyond it. A Catholic church since 1959, the parish is also celebrating the restoration of its magnificent Hunter organ, achieved with a generous grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The church will be open on Saturday 4 September from 12 noon to 4pm and Sunday 5 September from 1pm to 4pm. Visitors can look round and learn about its history with the help of new QR codes at significant points around the building. (They'll need to bring a smart phone and headphones to use these.)

Originally the organ was the Congregational community's memorial to the men who died in the First World War, and volunteers have been researching their stories. There will be a display about the organ's history and a short film about the restoration project. The organ builders, FH Browne & Sons, were able to proceed steadily with this work in the quiet months while the church was closed during last year's lockdown. The project has been energising and purposeful for the parish and local community, with associated activities such as piano lessons and film-making for young people, a cycling podtour, historical lectures, as well as a commission for new music and concerts.

Over the coming weekend visitors can hear the organ being played live on Saturday from 12.30 - 1pm by Sam Kemp, and from 3 - 3.30pm by Joseph Mason.

On Sunday afternoon the musical programme from 2 - 4pm will include an organ recital by Marion Bettsworth, Organist at St Michael's Church, Highgate, and songs performed by Patricia Hammond, mezzo-soprano, with multi-instrumentalist Matt Redman.

On Sunday also, from 1.30 - 3pm, Oonagh Gay of Islington Guided Walks will lead a historical walk, starting out from St Mellitus, which explores the musical heritage of local African-Caribbean, Greek-Cypriot and Irish communities. To take part in this, sign up via the Open House link below.

St Mellitus Church is a few minutes' walk from Finsbury Park underground station, at the junction of Tollington Park and Evershot Road, London N4 3AG.

You can read all about Open House weekend at St Mellitus here: https://openhouselondon.open-city.org.uk/listings/10105

Read more about the Hunter memorial organ, with fascinating details of its restoration here: https://stmellitusorgan.co.uk/