Chennai: The history of Chennai or Madras cannot be complete without mentioning about St Mary’s church, which apart from serving the spiritual needs of the Christians since the British East India company days, has laid the basis for one of oldest schools in the city and also gave to the city the familiar landmark – the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. The church is a saga of time travel for over three centuries and continues to charm the followers.
The church, gearing up to celebrate the 336th year in a grand manner, is a major attraction at the historic Fort St George. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has taken up re-plastering of the pillars within the church and also the renovation of the adjoining church hall including relaying the roof without altering its intrinsic old world British architecture.
“Every day will be a celebration for us because the history of the church is amazing. Everything inside the church talks about different time in history and makes us travel through time, personalities and incidents,” says Rev. J. Krubha Lily Elizabeth, Presbyter.
The church is replete with mementos of men who have helped to make Madras history; its narrow yard is literally paved with tombstones of various ages and containing inscriptions in several languages. The foundation stone to construct the St Mary’s Church was laid in 1678 and Streynsham Master, Governor of Fort St. George, got the church designed and built by Edward Fowle, the Master Gunner of the Fort. It was consecrated on Oct. 28, 1680.
The Vestry committee of St. Mary’s Church established a charity school – now the St. George’s Anglo Indian School on Poonamallee High Road, in 1715, a male and female asylum at its hall and also a hospital. “The hospital was transferred to the East India Company in 1690 inside the fort from which the RGGGH later developed,” Rev. J. Krubha added. The spire was added in 1692. The church served as a barrack when the French laid a siege in 1746 and in 1759.
