About Us
The Church in Tower Hamlets is broad and beautiful, full of vibrance and diversity (just like Tower Hamlets itself). We’re definitely not a one-size fits all kind of place! Whoever you are and however you worship we want you know that there is a place for you here. Everyone is welcome.
This website is built and maintained by the Anglican churches of Tower Hamlets, but we also want to celebrate and signpost to other churches outside of the Church of England. We love that we get to do this together. Our great prayer is for unity in the church and the opportunity for everyone to experience the love of God in Christ Jesus.
We are one of the UK's most culturally vibrant and diverse areas, densely populated, with over 200,000 people living within eight square miles at the heart of London's East End.
Tower Hamlets includes a number of London's famous attractions including the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Columbia Road Flower Market and Billingsgate Fish Market. The attractions of Bangla Town bring in thousands of tourists every year. We’re also home to some amazing buildings like those at Canary Wharf and the RIBA award winning Idea Store in Whitechapel.
We’ve also won praise and recognition for our parks and open spaces, including the outstanding Mile End Park and Victoria Park.
Our Borough
For centuries Tower Hamlets has welcomed and been home for many immigrants to Britain. Today, around 49% of residents are from black and minority ethnic communities; 33% are of Bangladeshi heritage, and there are also large Somali, Caribbean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian and Pakistani communities.
Local people are proud of their history of tolerance and mutual respect and the borough is regarded nationally as a beacon for community cohesion.
Deprivation and poverty is present in the area, providing a stark contrast to the wealth and prosperity that has grown around Canary Wharf and the City fringes that also lie within the borough.
Together the Anglican churches in Tower Hamlets are known as a deanery. They are called together and supported by:
Revd Phil Williams, Area Dean
Revd Brian Ralph, Sub-Dean
Angela Hancock, Deanery Synod Lay-Chair
Dawn Bigsby, Deanery Synod Clerk
We are also extremely grateful for the wider leadership of The Rt Revd Dr Joanne Grenfell, The Bishop of Stepney, and her Area Team.
Who’s who
Each of our church locations in Tower Hamlets are run by amazing groups of clergy and volunteers. To find your nearest church or to contact a particular team follow the links on our locations page.
Or to contact one of our Tower Hamlets team listed above, find out more about anything mentioned on this website, or submit content to help us keep it up to date, please email: