St.Mary Magdalene Church, CSI, Wesley Church, & St. John Baptist's Church, Churches of Poonamallee, Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

… a continuation Post of Exploring Poonamallee

15^th April 2018.

During our Exploring Poonamallee heritage walk, we covered 19^th Century  Churches constructed by the Britishers for their officers and Soldiers. The structures are constructed with brick and lime mortar. A Cemetery was also shared between St Mary Magdalene Church and CSI Wesley Church.

St. MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH

The earliest 1796 CE Chaplain was there at Fort St. George. After Converting the Mohammedan Fort of Poonamallee into a Garrison, there was a need for a Church to cater to the British Officers and Soldiers.  1806 CE Rev Hough belonging to the Christian Missionary Movement laid down the foundation stone in 1815 CE and W Sawyer started the construction of this Church for Poonamallee and St Thomas Mount. The Church has a Simple altar, Two chairs, teak wood windows for ventilation, Belgium glasses on the altar, and the floors are paved with Cuddapah stone slabs. The bronze bell was brought from London. Bishop Middleton consecrated the Church on 13^th April 1819 CE.

To cater to more people the Church was expanded on sides in the form of a cross to a size of 2142 sq foot in the year 1845 AD and started to function as a full-time Church exclusively for Poonamallee alone. It was happy to note that the old Church was not pulled down after the construction of a new Church with modern amenities. This Church is being used to conduct Bible classes for children on Sundays.

LOCATION OF THE CHURCH:    CLICK HERE

The Bell Tower and the Bell were imported from the UK

CSI WESLEY CHURCH

Two old Churches are standing east and west sides of the new Wesley Church. These churches are part of the Methodist Mission. Both Churches might have been built during the 19th Century and the exact dates are known. Compared to the St Mary Magdalene Church, it is believed that these two Churches catered to the Soldiers. From the records of the Mission in 1823 CE, Elijah Hoole visited this Church for prayers and preached in Tamil to the congregation. At present the Churches are being used for conducting Bible classes to the Children.

    

LOCATION OF THE CHURCH:    CLICK HERE

St. JOHN THE BAPTIST’S CHURCH.

This Church comes under RC and this parish existed from 1818 CE. This Church was constructed in the year 1840 CE by Rev Doctor Carew on a burial ground of Mohammedan Fort of Poonamallee to cater to British Soldiers. Later from the year 1912 CE the Church was used by the pensioners and the Native Poonamallee Catholics. It was built in the shape of a cross of 59 feet length with a separate Bell tower.

 

The old Church was pulled down and a new Church was built. The new Church was consecrated  on 24^th April 1990, by Dr Casimir Gnanadickam, Arch-Bishop of Madras – Mylapore. In the 19^th century, the original Bell tower was retained and stood tall to remind the past.

A memory stone is also found at the entrance of the Church with inscriptions on all four sides erected from the public fund. The inscriptions state that this was erected in recognition of  Rev Fr. J P Fitzpatrick, who served nearly 40 years as an Ex-Officio member of the Cantonment Committee & R C Military Chaplain of Poonamallee. He was born in Roscommon Ireland on 28^th May 1848 CE and died at St Patrick Monastery – Adyar on 17^th September 1927 CE.

On the back side, it was inscribed that the Lighting was inaugurated by Dewan Bahadur R N Arogyaswami Mudaliar, Ex- Ex-Minister, Govt Of Madras on 9^th June 1920.

LOCATION OF THE CHURCH:    CLICK HERE

St. MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH CEMETERY

This cemetery was consecrated on 13^th April 1819 CE. Those who deceased in the Poonamallee garrison were laid to rest in this cemetery. Initially, this cemetery was used for both officers and Soldiers of the Garrison – St Mary Magdalene Church & CSI Wesly Church and now the Cemetery is under the control of  St Mary Magdalene Church. 

Some historically important and oldest  graves are….

• The earliest grave was for Captain Ambrose Russel to 1795 CE., the elder brother of Irish Radical Thomas Russel ( Who was executed in Ireland )
• Major Donald Mc Donald – 1799 CE, who headed the 2^nd Battalion in charge of the siege of Seringapatnam. Belongs to the 34^th Battalion of Madras Native Infantry in Vellore in 1794 CE which became the 84^th Punjabis in 1903 CE, and the regiment was absorbed into Pakistan Army.  He died in the year 1799. CE.
• Lieutenant Patrick Heron Newall in 1809 CE, served in the Madras European Regiment.
• Ensign Ingleby – 1818 CE from St Helena where Napolean was held captive.

LOCATION OF THE CHURCH:     CLICK HERE

THE CEMETERY 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---