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St Stephen’s Church
The church on the rise above the town, begun in 1829 and opened at Easter 1831, with main beams brought up the ghat from Tipu Sultan’s palace at Srirangapatna.
The church on the rise
Three of the Ooty itineraries leave the first afternoon deliberately unscheduled and point at the same three things: the lake, the town centre and the church on the rise. This is the church. Its foundation stone was laid in 1829 by Stephen Rumbold Lushington, then Governor of Madras, to a design by Captain J. J. Underwood of the Madras Regiment, and it opened on Easter Sunday 1831. It is among the oldest churches in the Nilgiris, and the reason it is worth the climb is not the architecture so much as where the building came from.
Explore St Stephen’s Church on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What is inside
A short visit, and one genuinely unusual piece of provenance.
The timber
- The main beam and much of the other timber came from Tipu Sultan’s palace at Srirangapatna
- It was hauled up the Sigur ghat to reach the site
- Several of the same itineraries visit Srirangapatna on the Mysuru leg, which makes the connection a real one rather than a coincidence
Inside
- Stained glass showing the crucifixion, and Mary with the infant Christ
- A painting of the Last Supper on the western wall
- The pulpit, the raised chancel pew and the vestry
Who built it, and the bell that is not one
- Designed by Captain J. J. Underwood of the Madras Regiment
- The foundation stone was laid by Stephen Rumbold Lushington, then Governor of Madras
- In place of a hung bell the church uses four hammer-like strikers on wooden planks
Getting there
On the Mysore road above the town, and on foot for most people staying centrally.
On foot
- Up the rise from the town centre — the walk is short but steady
- The Ooty itineraries treat it as part of a first unscheduled afternoon
By car
- A few minutes from the Charing Cross end of town on the Mysore road
- It stands on the Mysore road itself, so it also works as a first stop on the way north out of Ooty
When to go
A working church, so the hour matters more than the season.
Time of day
- Late afternoon light through the stained glass is the reason to time it
- It remains an active parish church; services take precedence over visits
Before you go
- Opening hours are set by the parish and are not fixed year-round
- Confirm access locally rather than assuming a published time
Worth knowing
Small, quick, and better with the context than without it.
Making it worth the climb
- Half an hour is enough unless a service is running
- The Srirangapatna timber is the thing to know before you walk in, not after
Etiquette
- Dress and behave as you would in any working place of worship
- Ask before photographing inside
Close by
The rest of a first afternoon on foot.
Frequently asked
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