Mention Handel’s monuments, and you will think of his house in Central London, and his church at St George’s, Hanover Square. Perhaps of music on the Thames itself.

Up in North London, however, you might easily pass by the church of St Lawrence, Little Stanmore, without knowing of its strong connection with the composer.

Handel worked here in 1717 and 1718, as composer in residence to James Brydges, the treasurer and paymaster for the legendary army of the Duke of Marlborough. Brydges was made the first Duke of Chandos and thereafter squandered his money on building a palatial mansion. As part of the development, the Duke completely rebuilt this, his local church and worshipped there until the chapel attached to his own house was ready.  

St Lawrence’s tower is 15th century, the remainder, though simple externally, is 18th century continental Baroque, and no expense was spared to grace the interior with the finest art.

The plain box-like exterior conceals wall and ceiling paintings by Bellucci and Laguerre, a ‘royal box’-like Duke’s pew (the Duke's view from this is shown above)

…..and Handel’s organ,
	complete with Grinling Gibbons carvings.

At this organ, Handel composed Esther and also must have performed the Chandos anthems. Built originally by Gerard Smith, it was fully restored by Martin Goetze and Dominic Gwynn in 1993-4.

The Duke of Chandos’ ambitious residence, Canons Park, was sold off with its estate after his bankruptcy and death; the house itself was demolished; Simon Jenkins describes it as Middlesex’ most famous ghost; its successors are a renowned school and a municipal park. The church remains, an enchanted secret, an anomalous jewel in a very plain part of North London.

The church, and its friends’ organisation, have occasionally put on concerts, and a few commercial recordings have been made, including Peter Nicholls’ of Handel’s organ concertos, on the organ itself.

At the time of writing the next concert is 19 November 2006, Sunday afternoon at 2.30 p.m entrance £5 at the door.

The church is open on Sunday afternoons or by appointment. It is off the A5 Edgware Road, on Whitchurch Lane.

More about the church and contact details ………www.little-stanmore.org
More about the organ…………..