Welcome to the website of the Dutch Church Austin Friars in London.
In the midst of the tall bank buildings in the City of London stands the Dutch Church. It aims to be a meeting-place for Dutch people living and working in London for longer or shorter periods. It is open on Sundays and at times during the week also. The Dutch Church in London is an independent and ecumenical parish where Dutch worshippers from different religious traditions are welcome.

At the heart of the Church is the religious service performed in the Dutch language at 11 a.m. every Sunday. There is special attention paid to its liturgy. After the service coffee is served in the Social Hall of the Church. Several times a year “after church” activities are organized following the service, varying from picnics to visiting other churches.

Below you will find information about the history of the Dutch Church, its religious services, music, projects and group activities of various kinds, among other items.

You are invited to have a look at the Dutch language sites, which has interesting information and photographs.

History of the Dutch Church

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 posseses 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.

We are delighted to announce the following musical events:

Good Friday - March 21
Ashley Stafford will be directing a professional group of singers in a performance of Buxtehude's Membra Jesu nostri A meditation on the limbs of our Lord Jesus.

May 8
CD launch by Jonathan Freeman-Attwood (Trumpet) and Daniel Ben-Pienaar (piano) at 7pm.

June 22
Organ Recital by David Titterington at 12h45

November 2
Organ recital by Anne Page at 12h45