The Building
Crypt
Heritage
Redevelopment
As designed by Thomas Hardwick, a vaulted crypt extended under the whole area of the parish church, with extensive catacombs under the west side. These were bricked up in 1853.
In 1980, the Rector, the Revd Christopher Hamel Cooke, conceived a plan to remove the dead and bring in the living. With due authority, the coffins from the crypt (over 850) were reinterred at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey and the crypt transformed in the present-day Healing and Counselling Centre. In July 1987, HRH The Prince of Wales opened the newly refurbished Crypt.
A Healing Centre
Today, the crypt is used by various groups and organisations including the Marylebone Health Centre (NHS) and the St Marylebone HCC.
Many people are startled to find an NHS Health Centre in the crypt of a parish church. However, it was always the intention that after its refurbishment the crypt at St Marylebone would be a centre for healing, both physical and spiritual. The Health Centre is a regular NHS practice which also offers complementary therapies such as osteopathy, massage therapy, homeopathy, acupuncture and naturopathy through GP referral. Find out more about the St Marylebone HCC Psychotherapy below.
The parish church also holds regular healing services, visit our Worship page to find out more.
Samworth Hall
As part of our current Changing Lives Campaign, we have a redeveloped Crypt Hall community space called the Samworth Hall. This is primarily used as an art space and events venue, hosting our various events from evening lectures to music concerts and film screenings. To find out about our events, visit our What's On page. For more information about our art space and exhibitions, click the button below.
St Marylebone Art Space