Nordic churches in London

Last updated January 09, 2025

There are several long-established Nordic churches in London. All seek to provide Lutheran Christian worship and pastoral care to their respective national communities in their own languages. Many of the churches also organise language classes and organise a wide range of social activities.

Danish Church

The church is at 4 Saint Katharine's Precinct, Regent's Park, London NW1 4HH (off Albany Street) ( 51°32′2″N0°8′48″W / 51.53389°N 0.14667°W / 51.53389; -0.14667 ). The nearest London Underground stations are Camden Town or Great Portland Street. The building is the former Anglican chapel of St Katharine's Hospital, which retains its original dedication to Saint Katharine, and was built in 1826–8. The architect was Ambrose Poynter.^[1] It has been Grade II* listed since 1954.^[2] There is a replica of Harald Bluetooth's Jelling stone located next to the church.^[3]

The Danish Seamen's Mission in London is based at 322 Rope Street, Rotherhithe ( 51°29′40″N0°2′1″W / 51.49444°N 0.03361°W / 51.49444; -0.03361 ). There is also a Danish Church in Hull (the St Nikolaj Danish Seamen's Church at 104 Osborne Street) ( 53°44′33″N0°20′44″W / 53.74250°N 0.34556°W / 53.74250; -0.34556 ).

The London and Hull congregations are both part of the Danske Sømands og Udlands Kirker (DSUK) - The Danish Church Abroad / Danish Seamen's Church. The DSUK was founded in 2004 through the merger of The Danish Church Abroad and The Danish Seamen's Church in Foreign Ports. The DSUK is affiliated to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark.

From 1696 to 1870 there was a Danish church in Wellclose Square. It was built by Caius Gabriel Cibber who was born in Denmark. His wooden figures of Moses and Saint John the Baptist were taken from the original church and placed in St Katharine's.^[1]

Finnish Church

The Finnish Seamen's Mission and church (Suomen Merimieskirkko, Finlands Sjömanskyrka) is at 33 Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London, SE16 ( 51°29′58″N0°3′11″W / 51.49944°N 0.05306°W / 51.49944; -0.05306 ). The current rector is Revd Marjaana Härkönen. The church also has a shop selling Finnish products and has hostel accommodation for visitors to London.

The London church and mission was first established in 1882, when the Finnish port chaplain who had been sent to Hull in 1880 was relocated south because of the level of work demanded in London. The present church building was opened in 1958 and refurbished in 2006; its distinctive architecture was recognised as a Grade II listed building in 1998.^[4] The architect was Cyril Mardall of Yorke Rosenberg Mardall.^[4]

Rotherhithe railway station (on the London Overground) is nearby (on Brunel Road). The nearest alternative is Canada Water station on the Jubilee line. It is also possible to take bus routes 381 or C10 to Rotherhithe station.

The approach ramp to the Rotherhithe Tunnel is immediately behind the church (between Albion Street and Brunel Road). The Brunel Engine House is nearby; Rotherhithe Library is between the Finnish Church and St Olav's Norwegian Church.

Icelandic congregation

Lutheran services in Icelandic are held (usually on the third Sunday of every month) at the German Church (Deutsche Evangelische Christuskirche), 19 Montpelier Place, Knightsbridge ( 51°29′58″N0°9′58″W / 51.49944°N 0.16611°W / 51.49944; -0.16611 ). There are also regular Icelandic services being held at the Ulrika Eleonora Swedish Church of London, Harcourt Street.

Norwegian Church

There has been a Norwegian church in London since the late 17th century. The current church building (St Olav's, designed by John Love Seaton Dahl) was consecrated in 1927, the foundation stone was laid the previous year by Prince Olav (later King Olav V of Norway). King Haakon VII and the Norwegian government in exile regularly worshipped at the church during World War II, when the church was given the status of a pro-cathedral. The church has been a Grade II listed building since 1949.^[5]

St Olav's Church is close to the River Thames in Rotherhithe at 1 St Olav's Square, Albion Street (next to the entrance to the Rotherhithe Tunnel) ( 51°29′57″N0°3′15″W / 51.49917°N 0.05417°W / 51.49917; -0.05417 ). The nearest Underground stations are Rotherhithe or Canada Water. The congregation is part of the Norwegian Church Abroad (also called The Norwegian Seamen's Churches or in Norwegian, Sjømannskirken.) The Finnish Church (see above) is nearby in Albion Street.

The Norwegian Church Abroad also runs the Norwegian Fishermans' Church, Liverpool, and formerly ran the Norwegian Church, Cardiff.

In addition to regular church events, the church organises activities such as Saturday school and football practice.

Swedish Church

The Ulrika Eleonora Swedish Parish in London is part of "Church of Sweden Abroad" (Svenska kyrkan i utlandet: SKUT). The first church for the Swedish community in London opened in Princes Square in Wapping in 1728, but it was replaced and relocated in the early 20th century. There is now only one Swedish church in London - Ulrika Eleonora.

Ulrika Eleonora Church is at 6 Harcourt Street, Marylebone ( 51°31′12″N0°9′53″W / 51.52000°N 0.16472°W / 51.52000; -0.16472 ). It was built in 1911 and is a Grade II listed building.^[6] The altar, pulpit, fonts and chandeliers are from the former church in Wapping. As well as the church and staff accommodation, there is also a reading room, church hall, library and parish office. The nearest Underground station is Edgware Road on the Circle line, District line and Hammersmith & City line.

Swedish Seamen's Church, London SwedishSeaChLondon.JPG — Swedish Seamen's Church, London

The Swedish Seamen's Church was opened at 120 Lower Road, Rotherhithe ( 51°29′42″N0°3′3″W / 51.49500°N 0.05083°W / 51.49500; -0.05083 ) in 1905. It closed down in December 2012.

SKUT is accountable to the General Synod of the Church of Sweden. SKUT provides 3 staff, and the congregation is responsible for other staff, buildings etc. Since 2002 SKUT has been linked to the Diocese of Visby; the Bishop of Visby is responsible for episcopal oversight.

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Rotherhithe is a district of South London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping, Shadwell and Limehouse on the north bank, with the Isle of Dogs to the east. It borders Bermondsey to the west and Deptford to the south-east. The district is a part of the Docklands area.

Saint Olaf, also called Olaf the Holy, Olaf II, Olaf Haraldsson, and Olaf the Stout, was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. Son of Harald Grenske, a petty king in Vestfold, Norway, he was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised at Nidaros (Trondheim) by Bishop Grimketel, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. His remains were enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral, built over his burial site. His sainthood encouraged the widespread adoption of Christianity by Scandinavia's Vikings/Norsemen.

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark was Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Charles XI. She is often admired for her generosity and charity.

The Church of Iceland, officially the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, is the national church of Iceland. The church is Christian and professes the Lutheran faith. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Porvoo Communion, the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe, and the World Council of Churches.

Helsinki Cathedral is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the neighborhood of Kruununhaka in the centre of Helsinki, Finland, at the Senate Square. The church was originally built from 1830 to 1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. It was also known as St Nicholas's Church until Finland declared its full independence in 1917. It is a major landmark of the city, and one of the most famous historical structures in Finland as a whole when viewed globally.

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The Norwegian Church Abroad or The Norwegian Seamen’s Church is a religious organisation serving Norwegians and other Scandinavians travelling abroad. Founded in 1864, The Norwegian Seamen's Mission – Sjømannsmisjonen – was established to secure the moral and religious education of Scandinavian seafarers, but also to give them a "breathing room" where a fellow countryman was available to lend an ear and give some attention. The churches and their staff together with travelling pastors around the globe represent a "resource center" for all Norwegians travelling internationally.

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The Finnish Seamen's Mission was established in 1875. It was established to help Finns travelling abroad, particularly seafarers and migrant workers. It is a Christian organisation which provides church services and pastoral care, and also aims to provide cultural and social services to the Finnish community. The Secretary General (Pääsihteeri) as of 2015 is Hannu Suihkonen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Sweden Abroad</span>

The Church of Sweden Abroad is an institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden. The Church of Sweden Abroad has more than 40 parishes throughout the world, concentrated in Western Europe. Another 80 cities are served by visiting clergy.

Wellclose Square is a public square in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, between Cable Street to the north and The Highway to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish Seamen's Church and Church Abroad</span> Danish Protestant church

The Danish Church Abroad / Danish Seamen's Church is a Protestant church. It was founded 1 January 2004 as the result of a fusion between the Danish Church Abroad and the Danish Seamen's Church in foreign ports. It was established to help Danes travelling abroad, particularly seafarers and migrant workers.

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The Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Britain and Scandinavia or Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Britain and Scandinavia is a Serbian Orthodox Church diocese in Western Europe. Its headquarters are in Enskede gård, Stockholm, Sweden. It operates churches in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Missionary parishes in the Republic of Ireland and Malta have priests from England.

The Old Church of Helsinki, designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and completed in 1826, is an Evangelical Lutheran church in Helsinki. The oldest existing church in central Helsinki, the church was originally planned as a temporary building as the Ulrika Eleonora Church constructed in 1727 had become too small for the congregation and the new church, Helsinki Cathedral, would not be completed until 1852. However, the city's rapid population growth from the early 19th century onwards ensured that the church would remain needed, and also necessitated the construction of many other churches.

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References

1 2 Weinreb, Ben; Hibbert, Christopher (1992). The London Encyclopaedia (reprint ed.). Macmillan. p. 748.
↑ Historic England. "The Danish Church (1245872)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.
↑ "Ever Spotted The Jelling Stone? A Mysterious Rock Beside Regent's Park". Londonist. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
1 2 Historic England. "The Finnish Church including attached tower (1376608)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.
↑ Historic England. "St Olav's Kirke (1376530)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.
↑ Historic England. "Swedish Church (1229504)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.

External links

Danish Church in London - official website (in Danish and English)
Danish Church Abroad / Danish Seamen´s Church (DSUK) (in Danish and English)
Finnish Church in London - official website (in English and Finnish)
Icelandic Church services in London (in Icelandic only)
Lutheran Council of Great Britain
Norwegian Church in London - official website (in Norwegian only)
Norwegian Church in London - website of the Embassy of Norway in London (in English)
Swedish Church in London - official website (in English and Swedish)

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[Weinreb-1] 1 2 Weinreb, Ben; Hibbert, Christopher (1992). The London Encyclopaedia (reprint ed.). Macmillan. p. 748.

[2] Historic England. "The Danish Church (1245872)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.

[3] "Ever Spotted The Jelling Stone? A Mysterious Rock Beside Regent's Park". Londonist. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2025.

[:0-4] 1 2 Historic England. "The Finnish Church including attached tower (1376608)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.

[5] Historic England. "St Olav's Kirke (1376530)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.

[6] Historic England. "Swedish Church (1229504)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 8 January 2025.

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