Chelsea Old Church, entered from Church St., is first mentioned in 1290, but was probably founded in the middle of the 12th century. The chancel and the chapels at the east end date from the 13-16th century, but the west end and the tower were rebuilt in 1667-70, when the church was restored and enlarged. Originally dedicated to All Saints, this church afterwards came to be known as St. Luke's, but after the latest restoration of the church in 1910 the original dedication was revived. Since 1824 this church has ceased to be the parish church. It has been described as 'probably the most unspoilt' old church in all England.
Interior. By the first window on the right are several old Chained Books, given to the church by Sir Hans Sloane, including a 'Vinegar' Bible and 2 volumes of a fine edition of Foxe's 'Book of Martyrs' (1684). Close by is the large monument of Lord and Lady Dacre, erected in the More Chapel in 1595, but moved to its present position in 1667. The grate is the original one. The More Chapel was rebuilt by Sir Thomas More, who was a regular attendant at the church. On the right is a memorial tablet to Henry James. Under the east window is the elaborate tomb of Sir Robert Stanley and two of his children (1632). In the corner on the right is the mutilated tomb of the Duchess of Northumberland (died 1555), mother of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and of Guildford Dudley (husband of Lady Jane Grey) and grandmother of Sir Philip Sidney. The tomb, which resembles Chaucer's, is probably not in its original position. The archway between the More Chapel and the Chancel dates from the 14th century, but the capitals were recarved in Sir Thomas More's time, probably from designs by Holbein. Near the west pillar (dated 1528) is the finely carved Pulpit (circa 1679); the stair is modern. A figure of St. Luke which crowned the vanished canopy of the pulpit is now on the west side of the south pier. In the opposite wall of the chancel is the tomb of Richard Gervoise (1563), an early example of the classic revival. The 13th century Roof of the chancel was re-discovered during the restoration of 1910. On the right side of the upper chancel is the More Monument (1532), designed by Sir Thomas More while he was still in royal favour, with a long epitaph composed by himself. More, executed in the Tower, is probably not buried here. The Altar and altar-rails date from the time of Charles I. To the left of the altar is the old aumbry. On the north wall are the late 16th century monument of Thomas Hungerford and his family and the early 16th century tomb of the Brays, the oldest in the church, now set into the wall under an arch, but originally standing in the middle of the chancel. To the north of the chancel is the Lawrence Chapel, dating from the early 14th century. The three quaint old oak pews probably date from 1670. Henry VIII. is said to have been secretly married in this chapel to Jane Seymour some days before their public marriage. In the north-east corner is a squint. The most interesting of the monuments (on the north wall) are those of Sir Thomas Lawrence and his family (1593) and of William De Morgan (1839-1917), potter and novelist. On the north wall of the nave is the large 17th century monument, by Paolo Bernini, to Lady Jane Cheyne, a benefactress to the church and the neighbourhood. Under the gallery, to the north of the door, is the Font (1673), with an old oak cover. The quaint epitaph of Anne Spragge tells us how she 'fought in man's clothing against the French, a second Pallas, chaste and fearless.'
In the porch is a Bell presented and endowed by the Honourable W. Ashburnham in 1679, to be rung every night at nine, as he had been saved from drowning one foggy night by hearing the church clock strike nine and so getting his bearings; the ringing was discontinued in 1825. The tower contains a small Museum of prints, etc. (admission 3d.).
Immediately to the north of the church is Petyt House, rebuilt in 1891 on the exact model of the older building of 1706, which was intended for a schoolroom and master's residence (inscription); the first schoolhouse on this site was established in 1903.
Church Street was at one time a fashionable address, and well-known residents in or near it were Bishop Atterbury, Dean Swift, Sir Richard Steele, and Dr. Arbuthnot. On the east side, farther north, is the old Rectory, which was probably rebuilt circa 1700. Here Charles (1819-75) and Henry Kingsley (1830-76) spent part of their youth, when their father was rector; Henry's novel 'The Hillyars and the Burtons' gives a picture of life in Chelsea. In Cheyne Walk, beyond the church, are a few old houses and then some quite modern ones. In No. 74 Whistler died in 1903. The next street, Danvers Street, with an old inscription at its south-east corner, is named after Danvers House, built by Sir John Danvers, the regicide, which stood a little to the north Essex House, the home of the Earl of Essex, the parliamentary general, likewise stood close by.
