St. Mary's Church, Putney

St. Mary's Church is a parish church in Putney featuring a prominent 15th-century tower with yellow brick walls and stone details. The building was reconstructed in 1836 with perpendicular Gothic windows that define its appearance along the Thames.

The church hosted the Putney Debates in 1647 when military leaders and politicians gathered to discuss England's future constitution. These discussions marked a turning point in political thought as people considered new ideas about how government should work.

The building displays an inscription from Colonel Thomas Rainsborough about equality, marking its role as a place where voices for social change were heard. These words on the walls remind visitors of the conversations that once shaped people's hopes for a fairer society.

Visitors can attend services or view the interior during opening times, with Sunday services welcoming the public. The layout is straightforward to explore, though it helps to check ahead for when the building is accessible.

Following a fire in 1973, the church was restored with an unusual layout change, positioning the altar midway along the northern wall instead of at the end. This adjustment created a different feeling inside and shows how post-fire decisions reshaped the traditional worship space.