London England Temple

The London England Temple is the 12th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The London England Temple sits on 32 acres of lush English land at Newchapel in Surrey, England. This rectangular edifice reaches 160 feet high where the exterior is adorned with white limestone and topped by a lead-coated copper spire. Surrounding the temple are gardens, which compose two-thirds of the acreage. Oak trees, spacious lawns, an ornamental pond, and colorful rhododendrons and azaleas beautify the grounds of the temple throughout the year.

Work on the London Temple spire in the late 1970s

Rich history occupies the land in which the London England Temple rests. It's history can be traced back to early Christianity, as an area Celts, Romans, Saxons, and Danes once occupied, to modern history, since the estate of Sir Winston Churchill's property adjoins the grounds of the temple.

After the property was purchased for the building of the temple, President David O. McKay and Church architect Edward Anderson spent time deciding where to place the temple. Land selected by President McKay "had been partially covered by a lily pond, which had left the ground marshy, and the engineers feared that it would not be suitable for the temple's foundation. President McKay, however, insisted, that this was where the temple was to be built. When work began on the site, workers discovered that beneath the boggy ground was solid shale at the proper depth to support the temple." [1]

On the completion, the London Temple's doors were opened to members and non-members alike for three weeks. At that time more than seventy-six thousand people toured the temple, wherein only fifty thousand were expected. On September 7, 1958, President David O. McKay dedicated the London England Temple. Following the open house and dedication of the temple, there were over twelve hundred convert baptisms within the next year.

After thirty-two years, the London Temple was closed for remodeling and refurbishing. An additional 8,500 feet was added, as well as a fourth floor. This time, the temple open house was preceded by posters and flyers and personal invitations being distributed throughout the area. In addition, advertisements and stories in local and national newspapers were featured on the British Broadcasting Corporation. In October 1992, President Gordon B. Hinckley rededicated the London England Temple. A second British temple was built in 1998 in Preston, England.

The London England Temple has a total of 46,174 square feet, four ordinance rooms, and seven sealing rooms.

Notes

1. "Making of a Temple," Millennial Star; September 1958, p 278

See also

• Inside Mormon Temples
• Mormon Temples
• The Temple Endowment
• Mormon Undergarments
• LDS Weddings

External links

• Official LDS London England Temple page
• London England Temple page
• Mormon Temple Ordinances - ReligionFacts
• Mormon Temples - Lightplanet
• Mormon Temples and Secrecy
• Mormon Missionaries - BBC Religion & Ethics
• Joseph Smith - American Prophet
• A video about the London England Temple