FAQs | Diocese of London

Family tree enquiries

I’d like more information about my great, great grandmother who was married in London in 1850. Can you help?

The record is unlikely to be at the church (if indeed the church still exists). Information concerning baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals is usually archived. Visit London Metropolitan Archives at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk, or email ask.lma@corpoflondon.gov.uk. For churches in the Westminster area visit the City of Westminster Archive Centre at www.westminster.gov.uk. Other resources are available at www.gov.uk and the Church of England website.

My late grandfather was a vicar in London and I'm researching his life. Can you help?

Information about notable Church figures is kept by the Church of England Records Centre. The Clergy of the Church of England database has records for clergy 1540-1835. You may also wish to try consulting Crockford’s Clerical Directory, back copies of which are often kept by libraries.

We regret that we are unable to provide further assistance to genealogists or people looking for baptismal or marriage certificates.

Finding a Church

During the War, my mother worshipped at a particular church in London. Can you tell me whether it still exists and how I can make contact?

Visit www.achurchnearyou.com to find the parish. The London Diocese covers 277 square miles of Greater London north of the River Thames from Staines in the west to the Isle of Dogs in the east and as far north as Enfield. If the church you are seeking is south of the River Thames then it is in the Diocese of Southwark.

I want to get married. Where can I find my parish church?

Visit www.achurchnearyou.com to find your local parish church.

I want to join a church. Where can I find details of those closest to where I live or work?

Visit www.achurchnearyou.com to find your churches.

Finding a Vicar

I've lost touch with an old friend who became a vicar, the Revd Jim Smith. Do you have his contact details?

Crockford’s Clerical Directory lists all current clergy of the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Ireland. It is available online, at all reference libraries or for sale from Church House bookshop, the official bookshop of the Church of England.

I'm looking for someone who was Vicar of St Mary's in 1910. Can you help?

Information about notable Church figures is kept by the Church of England Records Centre. The Clergy of the Church of England database has records for clergy 1540-1835. You may also wish to try consulting Crockford’s Clerical Directory, back copies of which are often kept by libraries.

Accommodation Enquiries

Can you recommend accommodation in London?

The Diocese of London does not provide accommodation facilities. To find a hotel try www.visitlondon.co.uk. If you are visiting London on Church or charity business, both The Royal Foundation of St Katharine and St Matthew’s Westminster offer rooms for overnight or short stays. St Peter’s Bourne also offers accommodation. Visit www.stpetersbourne.com. ChristianFlatShare.org is an enterprise born out of St Paul’s Hammersmith. Visit www.ChristianFlatShare.org to look for longer-term accommodation.

I would like to arrange a house swap with a parish priest in the Diocese of London. Can you advertise this for me?

Due to the large volume of requests to advertise vacation exchanges, we can’t publish these on our site or in our mailings. Instead, we recommend Vacation Exchange from the Anglican Communion, which is open to people who work for an Anglican/Episcopal church in any capacity – whether lay or clergy.

Faith

I want to learn more about Christianity. Can you send me some information?

Our Faith pages will explain more about what we believe.

Rejesus offers free copies of the four gospels.

Church House Bookshop, the official bookshop of the Church of England, sells a wide variety of Christian books online.

Christenings, weddings and funerals

How do I arrange a church christening, wedding or funeral?

Visit this page for more information.

Vicars and becoming a member of the clergy

I'm thinking about ordination. How do I go about it?

The first person to talk to is your local vicar. After some discussion, if they feel you are ready to explore this call, they may refer you to the Area Director of Ordinands.

Take a look at our website section what is a vocation.

I'm already ordained and I'd like to work in the Diocese of London. How do I apply?

We advertise vacancies on this website.

Links to other websites

Can you link to our website?

We link throughout the website to organisations and places that the Diocese of London has a formal relationship with or who we work with regularly, or for editorial purposes. Unfortunately we cannot link to any other websites.

Did you know that you are linking to a website that hosts questionable content?

We link to websites of reputable organisations in good faith. Ultimately the Diocese of London (or the London Diocesan Fund) is not responsible for the content of external websites.