Dutch Church
7 Austin Friars
London
EC2N 2HA
T: 020 7588 1684
Visitor Information
It is open on Sundays and at certain times during the week.
The origin of the Dutch Church goes back to 1550. In that year the English King Edward VI gave protestant refugees from the Netherlands permission to establish their own parish. For their worship they could make use of the nave of the church that had belonged to the Augustine monks (Austin Friars). As in 1550 there was no protestant church in the Netherlands yet, one can say that Austin Friars is the oldest Dutch-language protestant church in the world. It made a decisive contribution to the rise of the protestant church in the Netherlands and was invited to the first synods as the Mother Church.
For centuries the Dutch psalms and hymns resounded in the church of Austin Friars until, in 1940, the building was destroyed during one of the bombardments of the city. After the war, in 1950, a new church rose on the same spot.
The Dutch Church possesses richly endowed archives. Thanks to the parish registers it is sometimes possible for people to trace their ancestry. The history of the Dutch Church was compiled at its 400th anniversary by church historian Professor Dr. J. Lindeboom. His book can be purchased at the church (£15.00). In July 2000, when the Dutch Church celebrated its 450th anniversary, a new commemorative book was launched, titled De Kerk in de City, 450 jaar Nederlandse Kerk, Austin Friars (The Church in the City, 450 years Dutch Church, Austin Friars). Its author is Dr. Keetie E. Sluyterman of the University of Utrecht. The book may be purchased for £10.00 + p&p from the office of the Dutch Church and contains a summary in English.
The Dutch Church in London is an independent and ecumenical parish where Dutch worshippers from different religious traditions are welcome.