Stanmore - Church of St Lawrence

The medieval the Church of St Lawrence was reconstructed by James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos in the baroque style. The architect was John James, who also worked on the Duke of Chandos' nearby house called Cannons (which was demolished in 1747). It is possible that James Gibbs oversaw the finishing touches to the church when he replaced John James as the Duke's architect in 1715. The interior retains early eighteenth-century paintings by artists such as Louis Laguerre and there is an organ played by Handel when he stayed at the nearby former mansion of Canons, and restored in the 1990s to its original condition. In the churchyard is a tombstone to William Powell, supposedly "The Harmonious Blacksmith" who inspired one of Handel's keyboard works.

The brick tower, of the former Parish Church dates from 1632 and stands near the new church. There are some fine monuments including one to John Burnell and to John Wolstenholme who built the old church.