by the rector of St Stephen's, Dr Chad Varah. The first Samaritans branch (known as Central London Branch) operated from a crypt beneath the church before moving to Marshall Street in Soho. In tribute to this, a telephone is preserved in a glass box in the church. The Samaritans began with this telephone, and today the voluntary organisation staffs a 24-hour telephone hot-line for people in emotional need. In 1987, as part of a major programme of repairs and reordering, a massive white polished stone altar commissioned from the sculptor Henry Moore by churchwarden Peter Palumbo was installed in the centre of the church. Its unusual positioning required the authorisation of a rare judgement of the Court of Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved. In 1993 a circle of brightly coloured kneelers designed by Patrick Heron was added around the altar. Benjamin West's Devout men taking away the body of St Stephen, previously hung on the north interior wall, was put into storage following the reordering. This decision was controversial, as the initial removal of the painting was illegal. In 2013 the church was given permission to sell the painting to a foundation, despite opposition from the London Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches, and by the Church of England's Church Buildings Council. Prior to the painting's export, a temporary export bar was placed on it to give it a last chance to stay in the UK. The foundation has since loaned it to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, which has undertaken restoration work on the painting. On 14 July 1994, the church was the venue for the wedding of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones to Daniel Chatto. At the time of his retirement in 2003, at the age of 92, Dr Chad Varah was the oldest serving incumbent in the Church of England. Rectors Peter 1301–1302 Hugh de Marny 1315 Willian de Stansfield 1325–1327 Thomas Blundell 1350–1359 Robert Eleker 1351–1385 John Brown 1391–1395 John Horewood 1395–1396 Henry Chichele 1396–1397. Later Archbishop of Canterbury John Horewood 1397–1400 John Beachfount 1400–1403 Radman died 1419 William Rock 1422. Resigned Thomas Southwell 1428–1440 William Trokill 1440–1474 Robert Rous 1474–1479 William Sutton 1479–1502 John Young 1502 John Kite 1522–1534 Elisha Bodley 1534 Thomas Becon William Ventris 1554–1556 Henry Pendleton 1556–1557 Humphrey Busby 1557–1558 Philip Pettit 1563 or 1564 John Bendale 1563 or 1564 Henry Wright 1564–1572 Henry Trippe 1572–1601 Roger Fenton 1601–1616 Thomas Muriel 1615–1625