A local’s guide to former churches in London, deconsecrated and turned into secret food halls, arts centers, coffee shops, museums to visit off the beaten path!
Nowhere’s more fascinating than London, in my opinion, when it comes to the perfect blend of history and modernity.
How many times have I talked about the City of London, historic neighborhoods, and long standing curiosity shops that make for perfect hidden spots to have on your bucket list?
9 Former Churches in London Turned Food Halls & Art Centers
All around London, centuries-old places of worship have been turned into multi-purpose arts centers, museums and cozy cafes tucked within Neoclassical, Greek Revival, or Gothic vaults.
If you’re looking for free spots to visit in London off the beaten path, you’ll find these former churches allow you to step off the typical tourist trail, and experience London in a way that’s both historic, and completely unexpected.
Former Churches in London: Sherriff Centre, West Hampstead
The Sherriff Centre in West Hampstead is located a few minutes’ walk away from the station and Messina Avenue, where I resided for a few months as an au-pair a couple years ago.
Launched in 2014 inside St James’ Church, a Church of England parish built between 1885 and 1888, the Sherriff Centre is a community space that houses a post office, a soft play area, a gift shop, and a coffee shop, the Sanctuary Cafe.
As you discover more about London’s past, you’ll find quite a few hidden church cafes in the city.
The Sanctuary Cafe is one of the least-known, and a great rest stop as you walk around West Hampstead, Kilburn and Swiss Cottage.
Former Churches in London: Old Operating Theatre Museum, St Thomas’ Church Attic, London Bridge
The Old Operating Theatre Museum occupies the attic space of St Thomas’ Church, in Southwark, only minutes away from London Bridge station and Borough Market, where you can grab a few good bites when you’re done visiting the museum.
The attic, also called garret, used to serve as the hospital’s apothecary to dry and store medicinal herbs.
At the end of the 19th century, the church wasn’t as visited for worship as it once was, and it’s only in 1962 that the space was restored, to then become the Old Operating Theatre Museum.
St Thomas’ Church is a Grade II-listed building; lovers of historical buildings, you’ll love the Neoclassical architectural influences and the red brick base.
Today, you can visit the space as a medical museum, which offers insight into pre-anesthetic and pre-antiseptic surgery, before moving on to other hidden gems in London Bridge and nearby Bermondsey.
Deconsecrated Churches in London: Mercato Mayfair, Central London
Housed in St Mark’s Church in posh Mayfair, on North Audley Street, Mercato Mayfair is probably one of the most famous dining courts in London at the moment – it’s absolutely gorgeous inside.
The church is a Grade I-listed building, with Greek Revival and Neoclassical notes.
The columns outside, the floor, the mosaics and stained glass: every little detail feels wonderful when you’re inside.
The church was deconsecrated in 1974, and since 2019, Mercato Mayfair has been a blend of a market and a food hall; there are even cooking classes and workshops there, and a secret plant shop right after the entrance.
Former Churches in London: Tabernacle Arts Centre, West London
The Tabernacle was founded in 1869 as an evangelical church, the Talbot Tabernacle, but the current building was constructed in 1887 and quickly earned the nickname of ‘Taj Mahal of North Kensington’.
When the church ceased to function as a place of worship in 1975, it turned into a community arts centre and an entertainment venue.
There’s lots to do in there, and if you’re planning to visit Notting Hill, don’t miss out on this gorgeous building.
Inside, you’ll find an art gallery, a conservatory and a garden courtyard, music studios, a theater, and even a coffee shop slash restaurant.
We’re here in a Grade II-listed building, and if Notting Hill’s shops and colorful streets are definitely more famous spots to visit in the area, The Tabernacle should definitely be on any history lover’s itinerary.
Former Churches in London: The Space, Isle of Dogs, East London
I first came across The Space on the Isle of Dogs close to Canary Wharf, East London, when I last resided in the city – I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the incredible building it’s housed in.
Originally known as St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, the building was constructed in 1859, but as the church’s congregation died down, it stopped serving as a place of worship in 1972.
The Space serves today as a multi-purpose arts centre; live music, comedy, dance and theater performances are plenty there, and that’s where you’ll be able to discover new and emerging artists.
Take some time to admire the North Italian Romanesque style, maybe have some coffee and cake, and when you’re done, take the bus straight to Canary Wharf to discover its secret corners, its shopping center and enjoy the view on the Thames river.
Repurposed Former Churches in London: Heritage and Arts Centre, Bow, East London
The Heritage and Arts Centre Bow is located in the Grade II-listed Holy Trinity Church on Lichfield Road in Bow, close to Mile End in East London.
The church was built between 1836 and 1839, with a beautiful Gothic Revival style, and when it closed in 1984, its condition deteriorated over the years.
Fast forward to 2019, the church hall was reopened to the public for an art exhibition, and paved the way to the church’s transformation into a cultural venue.
It now operates as an arts center for live concerts, film shoots, weddings, art exhibitions, and of course, offers a glimpse into a stunning, once disused place.
If you have some time before you visit, why not enjoy some filling, halal Full English breakfast at nearby Grounded Bow, two steps away from the station?
It’s one of the prettiest rustic cafes in the city, spacious, with outstanding chai latte, brownies and other oh-so-satisfying brunch plates!
Former Churches in London: Christ Church, Marylebone (Greenhouse Centre)
Another one for Neoclassical architecture lovers; Christ Church Marylebone, a Grade II-listed church completed between 1822 and 1824, built to accommodate London’s growing population in the 19th century.
We’re in the heart of the beautiful village-like area of Marylebone, only minutes away from Oxford Street and Fitzrovia, and if you’re into Italian places of sorts, you’ll love this one!
After Christ Church Marylebone closed in 1977, the building was repurposed for various uses, including an antiques market and a restaurant.
It’s been, since 2018, a multi-sports center called the Greenhouse Centre.
When you’re done visiting or attending an event, walk around Marylebone to find vintage shopfronts, winding lanes and secret streets, and why not visit the wonderful Daunt Books only minutes away if you have the time?
Repurposed Former Churches in London: Host Cafe, St Mary Aldermary, City of London
Housed inside the historic St Mary Aldermary Church on Watling Street, minutes from St Paul’s Cathedral, Host Cafe is one of my favorite cafes to work in London, and a great spot for melt-in-your-mouth carrot cake at that.
St Mary Aldermary is one of the City of London churches rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666; you’ll find plenty of these around the area.
In 2012, Host Cafe was established to serve as a welcoming space for all.
It can even be used as a coworking space, where you can work in peace, admiring the striking stained glass windows and sipping on a colorful latte.
Repurposed Former Churches in London: Westland London, Shoreditch, East London
Now, if you’re on the hunt at some point for vintage shops and mindblowing antiques, you’d do well to pop by Westland London, which occupies the former church of St Michael and All Angels in Shoreditch.
The building itself is a Grade I-listed Victorian Gothic building completed in 1865, and the church was deconsecrated in the 1960s due to a declining local population.
Since 1977, Westland London has been serving as a showroom for antique fireplaces, sculptures, garden monuments, and is probably one of the best hidden gems in Shoreditch you could ever dream to find.
When you’re done walking around this grand shop, unlike anything you’ve ever seen in London, why not walk around Shoreditch to find street art and other cafes hidden in shops, like Aida Shoreditch?
You can then make your way to Bethnal Green, Spitalfields or Liverpool Street to unravel the city’s secret past, admire ruins of Charnel House, or go charity shopping for unique finds!
Repurposed Former Churches in London: Garden Museum, Lambeth
St Mary at Lambeth is but the oldest surviving structure in Lambeth.
It’s a medieval church with origins dating back to 1062, although the current building features a 14th-century tower and a Victorian nave and aisles.
When the church was deconsecrated in 1972, it only took five years for the Garden Museum to be established as the world’s first museum about gardening and the history of gardens, in an attempt to save the church from demolition.
The Garden Museum is a great spot to have on a nature itinerary in London.
It mixes exhibitions on horticulture, gardening and landscape design, with thousands of tools, artworks and historical documents showcasing the evolution of British gardening over 400 years.
There’s also a secret cafe inside should you wish to have a sip and a bite before you keep discovering Lambeth; one of the quietest places in London, and a perfect place to trace its history with fresh new eyes.
9 Former Churches in London Turned Food Halls & Art Centers
These former churches are more than architectural curiosities: they show just how London keeps reinventing itself, even in times when free viewpoints and avant-garde shops pop up on the daily.
Whether its the gorgeous St Mary at Lambeth, now home to the Garden Museum, the soothing cafe at St Mary Aldermary, or the Sherriff Centre tucked away in West Hampstead, they’re all worth a visit.
If you’re into beautiful churches, history, hidden gems and abandoned spots, I can also recommend you pop by these spots: