St Mary's Church, Chislehurst

About

St Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Chislehurst, the Borough of Bromley, London. It was built from 1853 to 1854, and was designed by William Wardell. Wardell, a friend of the architect Augustus Pugin, built the church in a similar Gothic Revival style. It is located on the corner of Crown Lane and Hawkwood Lane to the south of Chislehurst. The church is a Grade II listed building.

In 1874, the church was expanded. A chapel, designed by Henry Clutton was added to the church. It was built to house the tomb of Napoleon III, who died the previous year, spending his last years in exile in nearby Camden Place. In 1879, Napoleon's son, Louis-Napoléon, Prince Imperial, or Napoleon IV, also died and was also buried in the church. In 1888, their tombs were moved to Farnborough Abbey. Around the church is a graveyard, dating to 1864, and contains the tomb of Charles West, the founder of Great Ormond Street Hospital.