London England Temple Wiki

Plans to construct the temple were announced 1 August 1953 by President McKay^[1]“Pres. McKay Leaves for Europe to Dedicate Two Temple Sites,” Church News, August 1, 1953, 2; Henry A. Smith, ^[2]“London and Berne Temple Sites Dedicated,” Church News, August 8, 1953, 1–2.

After the property was purchased for the building of the temple, President David O. McKay and Church architect Edward Anderson spent time deciding where to place the temple. The land selected by President McKay “had been partially covered by a lily pond, which had left the ground marshy, and the engineers feared that it would not be suitable for the temple’s foundation. President McKay, however, insisted, that this was where the temple was to be built. When work began on the site, workers discovered that beneath the boggy ground was solid shale at the proper depth to support the temple.”^[3]”Making of a Temple,” Millennial Star; September 1958, p 278

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 27 August 1955. President McKay presided again, and around 1,000 people attended.

The original design of the London England Temple called for a spire of perforated aluminum, similar in appearance to the spires of the Oakland California Temple. The perforations were later removed from the design, however, in favor of a solid sheath of lead-coated copper.

The cover of the 11 September 1954 Church News showed an official exterior rendering for the London England Temple.^[4]Church News, 11 September 1954, cover; can also be found at: Zobell Jr., Albert L. “The London Temple,” Improvement Era, November 1955, p 808.

The original design of the London England Temple called for a spire of perforated aluminum, similar in appearance to the spires of the Oakland California Temple. The perforations were removed from the design sometime during construction in favor of a solid sheath of lead-coated copper.

Over 76,000 people toured the building during the public open house before it was dedicated. The open house was held from 16 August to 3 September 1958^[6] “London’s Mormon Temple”, TIME, 15 September 1958, archived from the original on 10 May 2007, retrieved 27 July 2007, 

President David O. McKay, ninth President of the Church, dedicated the London temple in 6 sessions from 7 September to 9 September 1958. Among others, those in attendance included President Joseph Fielding Smith, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder Hugh B. Brown of the Twelve; and Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, Assistant to the Twelve.

In attendance were more general authorities of the Church than had been in England since 1840 when eight members of the Twelve Apostles came as missionaries.

President McKay observed his 85th birthday on this occasion on September 8, 1958.

The London England Temple is located approximately 25 miles south of London, just a few miles east of the London Gatwick Airport. The temple sits on 32 acres of estate-like grounds with gardens and a reflecting pond in Newchapel, Surrey, England.

Rich history occupies the land in which the London England Temple rests. Its history can be traced back to early Christianity, as an area Celts, Romans, Saxons, and Danes once occupied, to modern history, since the estate of Sir Winston Churchill’s property adjoins the grounds of the temple. The Magna Carta was signed in 1215 in the same county of Surrey where the London England Temple is located. The site where the London England Temple stands, known as Newchapel Farm, was listed in the Domesday Book of William the Conquerer.

Site

Surrounding the temple are gardens, which compose two-thirds of the acreage. Oak trees, spacious lawns, an ornamental pond, and colorful rhododendrons and azaleas beautify the grounds of the temple throughout the year.

A large oak tree at the front of the temple was estimated to be 450 years old at the time the temple was dedicated; it had been growing the same time the first Elizabeth was Queen of England and Christopher Columbus first arrived in America. President McKay specifically requested that the oak tree stay, and some suggested that it should be called the David O. McKay Oak Tree. Later, a plaque was secured to the tree with the words:

“The David O. McKay Oak
Living beauty and inspiration
Great strength and stability
Reaching toward heaven
Responsive to God’s sunlight
Casting friendly and comforting shade
Gentle in its contribution to mankind
Unmoved by disturbing winds
To be remembered.”

Also on the Site

Manor House

The temple shares its grounds with the historic Manor House (a three-story, 40-room Elizabethan-style mansion). The Manor House has served various purposes for the Church over the years including patron housing and Missionary Training Center.

Visitor’s Center

and a visitors’ center. The visitors’ center windows frame a white Christus statue, which looks out over the temple grounds with open arms. Around December 31, 2017, the visitor’s center transitioned to a waiting area for non-temple patrons, and its traditional visitor’s center functions were merged with the Hyde Park Chapel Visitors’ Centre.^[11]“The Church Operates Visitors’ Centers Around the World.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 28 July 2011, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/visitors-centers?filter=leadership.

Cladding

Windows

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Spandrel panel