St Mary’s Anglican Church

St Mary’s Church is the oldest Anglican church east of Suez. It was built around 1680 and has been a place of Christian worship since that date. The church is 86 feet long and 56  feet across. The outside walls are 4-feet thick. The roof is built entirely of bricks in three semi-circular masses of solid masonary. No wood was used in the building except for doors and windows. The inside of the St Mary’s is equally fascinating with some wonderful use of wood for pews, pulpit and panels. There are several semicircles of stained glass windows  above the large open windows. Within the portals are numerous large memorials to some of the famous residents of Madras. One of the most famous of those was Elihu Yale,  1648-1721, Govenor of Fort St George and an active member of St Mary’s. Yale University was named after him. There are registers of baptisms, marriages and burials dating from 1680 held at the church. Despite its location today in the busy, bustling area of Fort St George, a centre for the government of Chennai (Madras) the Church offers an area of quiet contemplation.

The tablet is set outside the Church.

St Marys Church

Built out of voluntary subscription, raised by streynsham master late Govenor of Fort St George from English inhabitants. The building of this church was commenced in 1678 and opened for service from 1680 AD and is the oldest masonry structure inside this fort.

Its three aisles with arched brick and stone have a bomb proof vaulted roof. The gallery has a finely carved nave with two curved outer stair cases. The spire of the church was completed in 1710 AD. The new sancutuary at the eastern end was a 19th century addition. The church has important records, articles, marble plaques and tablets.

Contact: Pastor Ruth Kirubalily Elizabeth. St Marys Church, Church of South India, Chennai 9.

Memorials inside the church

These additions are taken from the inside of the Church and are mainly memorials to British people who died and served in India in the 19th century. However there are some more recent memorials dating from the Second World War.

Lieutenant Thomas Davies who fell at Malleegoan, India on 18 May 1818 and Lieutenant John william Nattes who fell at the  same seige eleven days afterwards. Monument erec ted by their brother officers of the Madras Engineers.

Josiah Webbe, Chief Secreatary to the Government of Madras and afterwards resident of the court of Scindia, where he died 9 November 1804 at the age of 37 years.

Reverend Frederick Christian Swartz, Protestant Missionary from Denmark.

Adjutant General Conway, obiit 13 May 1837.

Catherine Jane, wife of Guy Lushington Prendergast of Madras Civil Service and daughter of James Annesley, Madras Medical establishmeny, born 31 july 1811, died 10 August 1839.

Nancy Adair Sabine, wife of J M Young, born 2 February 1865, died 3 December 1905

Captain and Brevet Major Cowper Rochfort, 27th regiment N.I. died at Cape of Good Hope 9 July 1847.

Captain Robert Scott Wilson, 21st Regiment Madras Infantry who died at sea on board Sesostris on passge to Cape good Hope 17 March 1832, age 42 years.

Conductor Henry Moore Harris, Madras ordnance Department, died at Rangoon 14 May 1885, age 50 years.

Captain W B McAlpin, late Paymaster  of H.M. 94th Regiment, died at sea on 14  May 1846.

Lieut.Colonel Percival Fenwick, Her Majesty’s 69th regiment, died at Fort St George, Madras 5 March 1863.

Sir Alexander Campbell, Bart., K.C.B., Commander in Chief of Forces in this Presidency, died 11 December 1824 and his wife Olympia died 24 December 1794.

In memory of Officers of 36th Regiment Madras Native Infantry who died in service of that corps in Burmah.  Captain Alfred Joyce, died in Sittang on 14 June 1856. Lieut. T.R.V. Shortland, Adjutant of the regiment lost in Sittang river 23 April 1854. Lieut. S. Jervis lost in transport “Lady Nugent” 10 May 1854. Ensign C. Drake died passage to europe 27 May 1856. Assistant surgeon James McDonald died en route to Calcutta, 4 Novemebr 1854.

Lieutenant Walter malcolm Roberts of Corps of Royal (Madras) Engineers, drowned in Godavery 17 September 1867, aged 29 years.

Charles William Egerton Cotton, C.S.I., C.I.E., I.C.S., Chief Secretary to the Government of Madras, born 14 August 1874, died 6 September 1931.

Michael John Harris Lieutenant Colonel of the European Regiment and Town Major of madras, died 9 September 1830, aged 40 years.

In Memory of 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers who died while the regiment was serving in Madras 1925-1927. Drummer Charles Harper. Fusilier Thomas Howarth. Fusilier Thomas Bradshaw. Fusilier John Garswood. Fusilier William Clarke. Fusilier Thomas Bearon.

Sacred to the Memory of Captain William Wilson. Captain William Pedder. Captain Aretas Sutherland Young. Brevet Captain Christopher Dexter. Brevet Captain James Boyton. Brevet Captain William Barber Fairtlough and Ensign Samuel Higgens Johnson of 63rd regiment who died whilst stationed at Fort St George 1834-1837.

Julian James Cotton, who followed his father, grandfather and great grandfather in service of the Crown in India and joined the Indian Civil Service at Madras 1893, died at Madras 20 June 1927, aged 57 years.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mill 55th regiment who was killed on 3 April 1834 whilst gallantly leading an attack on stockade at Somarpett, Coorg.

William O’Brien Drury, Vice admiral of the red. Commander in Chief of east Indies and China Station, died Madras 6 March 1811.

Vice Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, Knight of the Bath and Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s ships in East Indies.

William Henry Coaker, Lieutenant Colonel, R.E. CVonsulting Engineer of Railways to Government of Madras, born 4 August 1844, died 6 October 1892.

Anne Lilly, wife of Henry James Nicholls, 25th Regiment M.N.I. born 15 December 1817, died 3 May 1837.

James Law Morant, Lieutenant Colonel Royal Engineers, born 17 November 1839, died Melbourne Australia 17 June 1886, (joined madras Engineers 1859 and served in Bombay and Madras Presidencies).

Lieutenant Colonel W H Atkinson, late of Madras Engineers and Colonel in Madras Army, died within few days of retiremnet whilst on passage to England 21 May 1858 aged 53 years.

Captain C Scott, late of the Corps of madras Engineers and Field Engineer to General Sir Hope Grants Column. Fell mortally wounded at the attack of Fort of Kohlee 23 Novemeber 1858 aged 30 years.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Edward Hackett Connell and Aubrey Vivian Searle, 80th carnatic Infantry (late 20th Madras Infantry) died on 10 June 1911 and 4 November 1912, whilst the regiment was stationed at Rangoon.

Lieutenant Colonel James Richardson formerly of 2nd Madras European Light Infantry, died at Penang 15 September 1856.

Surgeon William Nathan Chipperfield, Indian Medical Department, died at Madras 23 May 1873, aged 51 years.

Captain Gleadowe O’Connell, 31 years Commissary of Ordnance in the arsenal of Fort St George. Born at Granard County longford Ireland 20 October 1779, died at Negapattam 24 April 1842, aged 63 years.

Captain Richard William Raikes, 1st Regiment Light Cavalry, commanding the Honourable the Govenor’s body guard and Major Commandant of Madras Volunteer Cavalry Guard, died 1 April 1859, aged 43 years.

Lieutenant General Sir S.F. Whittingham, K.C.B. and K.C.H. Colonel H.M. 71st Highland Light Infantry and Commander in Chief of Madras Army, died 19 January 1841, aged 66 years.

Ambrose Awdry Major R.E., son of Sir John Wither Awdry, Chief Justice Bombay, born 28 April 1844 and died at Ootacamund 18 May 1885. Private Secretary to Govenor of Madras.

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Mongomerie, Royal Engineers, born 26 October 1837, died at Vizagapatum 8 January 1886.

Anne McGildowney, wife of Lieutenant General W. A. McClevenly, Commander in Chief Madras Army, who died at ootacamund 26 July 1868, aged 46 years.

The Reverend Walter posthumus Powell, D.C.L. of Worcester Collage, Oxford, Garrison Chaplain of Fort St George, died 8 June 1853 aged 48 years.

Charles Robert Ross, Madras Civil Service, died 26 November 1816, aged 33 years.

Lionel Langley Major Royal Engineers, aged 40 years who died at Kullar in the Kistna District on 18 April 1890 from injuries after an encounter with a tiger.

Joseph Moorhouse Esq, Lieutenant Colonel of Court Artillery, killed……(indistuingishable)

Malcolm McNeill, Colonel Madras Light Cavalry, died at Rangoon 8 December aged 52 years from the effects of a coup de soleil whilst commanding the 2nd Brigade of Madras Troop at the capture of Pegu.

Jane Amelia, wife of Henry Russell, second daughter of J H Casamaijor, born 20 August 1789, married 20 October 1808 and died 29 December 1808.

George Gilbert Keble, died 25 August 1811, aged 36 years.

Anne Jemima Clarissa, third duaghter of Colonel T.H.S. Conway, C.B. beloved wife of Lieutenant Colonel L. C. M. Poole, 5th Regiment N.I. commanding Viziangram, at which she died 15 May 1851, aged 34 years and 11 months.

Major General Sir John (unreadable)

Major Godfrey Webster Whistler, commanding 19th Regiment M.N.I. who died of cholera at Paulghautcherry 14 March 1843, aged 42 years.

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Archdall McCurdy, 27th Regiment N.I. died 28 December 1842 at Russell Kondah.

William Elphinstone Monteith, son of Colonel Monteith, Madras Engineers and Maria his wife, born at Madras 15 October 1835, died at Bangalore 21 October 1841.

Edward Fowle Engineer and gunner at Fort St George, died at Bencoolen Sumatra 1685.

Reverend Christian William Gericke.

Major General Sir Thomas Munro, Bart and K.C.B, Govenor of Madras died at Puttecondah 6 July 1827.

Lieutenant Colonel J.H. Spring Branson, late Commandant Madras Artillery Volunteers, The Dukes Own, died 8 April 1897, aged 56 years.

Margaretta Baroness Hobart and herinfant son John Hobart died 7 August 1796, aged 41 years.