Early in 1845 the Church of St. John was consecrated for divine service in the northern division of Kensington. Misgivings were expressed at the time that the site, one of the most attractive in London, had been chosen too far out in the fields; but the population of the district has since risen from less than 3,000 to more than 60,000, and has been partitioned among six new parish churches, all built from voluntary contributions, and maintained without endowments. The church, parsonage, and schools of St. John’s represent an expenditure of nearly 20,000l., almost entirely raised within the parish; and the subscriptions and collections for 1870 amounted to 996l. collected in the church, besides 850l. pew-rents, and 2,390l. collected in other ways for local and missionary purposes. Between 500 and 600 children are in attendance at the schools, and nearly 400 of them belong to the Parochial Provident Society, which consists in the aggregate of 731 members. The congregation appear much in need of the additional comfort and accommodation which would be derived from removing the organ out of the west gallery, and letting in the light from the handsome window behind it. The design of the architect might then be carried out, and the organ and pulpit be placed as originally intended, throwing back the fronts of the north and south transept galleries. This church has suffered a good deal at different times from well-meant efforts to provide additional accommodation for the vast population which has grown up round it; but nothing has been done which might not be easily set right at a small expenditure. The present incumbent has been seventeen years in residence, and was appointed by the late Bishop Blomfield, of London, the see to which the patronage belongs. The east window is an adaptation in coloured glass of the “Last Supper” of Leonardo da Vinci, and was offered by the parishioners as a memorial of their sorrow for the early loss of Eleanor Isabella, only child of Sir John Franklin, and wife of the incumbent, who was cut off in the midst of a career of singular activity and Christian usefulness about ten years ago. A mural monument close by records the decease of the previous incumbent, the Rev. E. Denniss, who fell a victim to cholera in 1854. This likewise was placed there by the parishioners as a monument of their affectionate regret; and it is very observable that our new churches derive increased solemnity and repose from the gradual increase of such mementoes as these.
Out of 1,400 sittings, this church has about 400 free; all the others let at rates varying from 4s. to 15s. per quarter. The congregation is composed mainly of the well-to-do people of that part, and the collections which are made for various objects through the year average from 50l. to 60l. a Sunday, whether it be for home or foreign objects. The organist, Mr. Cooper, is surrounded in the orchestra by a selection of the male Sunday scholars—who are evidently well-trained, and make up an effective choir—without surplices. The service is completely on the Evangelical model, animated and thoroughly devotional, and the congregation join in it earnestly. The prayers and lessons were well read by a substitute for one of the curates, who are two, the Rev. Messrs. Leicester and Newton. The sermon was preached by the incumbent, the Rev. J. P. Gell, from Psalm iii. 4, “He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered.” The rev. gentleman’s preaching is careful, practical, and devout; and appears to come directly home to his hearers, over whom, through a long series of years he has maintained a very manifest influence for good. The ordinary services are on Sundays at 11 a.m., and 7 p.m., and lecture on Wednesday evening. At 12.30 there is full Communion Service every first Sunday in the month, after the morning service; and an early celebration at 9 a.m. on every third Sunday in the month.
ST. GEORGE’S, CAMPDEN HILL, KENSINGTON.
St. George’s, Campden-hill, the spire of which, in the distance, is so closely allied to the Kensington Water-tower and that other familiar object of West London distance, Tower Cressy, that we suppose there are few who are unacquainted with the rather odd-looking trio. Either of them taken alone would form a good distance object, but as it sometimes happens they all three lump together in the landscape, the effect is not only odd, but certainly striking, the water-tower always looking like the big brother of the other two. St. George’s, however, must now be taken alone, and really it deserves to be especially noticed. The church stands N. and S., the south elevation being worthy of remark for much excellent and effective detail. The tower and spire, of fair proportion at the S.E. angle of the building, form an important feature of this view. The spire is broached and covered with slate in bands, and relieved with wooden spire lights with iron finials, giving a picturesque appearance. The tower is without buttresses, and, like all other portions of this south elevation, is faced with stone in random courses, with Bath stone quoins and dressings, and clean-cut bands of stone of warmer colour. It is lighted by deeply-recessed lancet windows, with columns and foliated caps, and bands on all sides. The staircase within is clearly marked by raking lines of windows, simple and effective. The centre of the gable of this elevation is occupied by a large and boldly-treated window, with geometric rose and four lancet lights, deeply recessed with label mould, encircling three well-carved heads in relief; this window is flanked by side two-light windows, partly concealed by the tile roof of the large cloistered porch. Being the principal entrance to the church, this roof is supported by dwarf and massive columns, with carved caps and cusped arcade. The whole forms a picturesque feature in perspective. The side and north elevations are very plainly treated in brickwork, with coloured bands or strings continued round the buttresses. The windows are executed in stone, plain-cut, unsplayed tracery; the reason for this change in design is evident—these elevations will shortly be hidden by the houses that are hourly springing up round the church. The usual stone finials and crosses are replaced by iron of like character.
The plan of the church is slightly cruciform, and consists of a nave and aisles, east and west transept, a doubly-recessed apsidal chancel, and aisles. Large galleries run round nearly three sides of the body of the church, and at the south end there is a double tier for school-children. Galleries, as we have often observed before, do not improve the good effect of a building; however, these galleries have a novel treatment: the balcony—if such an expression may be used—is suggestive of a conventional ship’s side with the ports complete. We by no means wish to convey a false impression by these remarks, for the lines of these galleries are very graceful, and yet sufficiently angular to be quite in keeping with the style of the church. The corbelled principals of the galleries, too, are effectively cut; they take a bearing on the iron columns of the arcades, from which, in every other respect, they run clear. We never remember to have seen iron better treated in church-arcade columns. The detail is sharp and clean, and the columns are not so slender as to appear unequal to their task of supporting the brick arches and clerestory, and the light nave and other roofs with saw-tooth cut and intersecting ribs. Generally the interior effect is exceeding good, especially the arcade of the east transept. There is evidence of great originality of thought on the part of the architect, which we cannot fail to notice and admire, and the colouring is harmonious and quiet in the corbels, bands, and courses, which are of stone, nearly all ornamented with flowing Gothic scrolls, painted black and incised. The font is an excellent example of early work jewelled with coloured bosses round the circular bowl, with the inscription “One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism.” It stands near to the southern doors. The oak pulpit is elevated to suit the galleries, stilted on stone clustered columns, with foliated caps, and butts upon the chancel west pier. The oak-eagle lectern is also at the entrance of the chancel, and is very well executed. The pewing, perhaps the least attractive portion of the fittings, is, however, well cut, but too dark to our mind. The organ occupies the west chancel aisle, and is placed over the vestries and quite undecorated. The chancel windows in the apse are well filled with stained glass, by Messrs. Lavers and Barraud. In the rose is represented the Crucifixion; the four lancets, the Evangelists and their emblems. The passages are paved with plain tiling. Mr. Bassett Keeling, of Gray’s-inn, was the architect, and we must congratulate him upon having produced an exceedingly beautiful and original type of church. The first stone was laid by the Ven. Archdeacon Sinclair, in Feb., 1864, and by Trinity Sunday in the following year the church was opened for Divine Service.
This church is situated partly in the Ward of St. Mary Abbotts and partly in that of St. John’s, Notting-hill, having in both departments a little over 8,000 inhabitants. It provides 1,400 sittings in all, 413 of which are free. But these in cases of emergency can be added to by about 150, provided by a system of telescopic seats, which can be drawn upon occasions from under the fixed pews, across the main aisles, filling up the entire area of the church. Six or seven years ago the site of St. George’s was a cabbage-garden; but a private Christian gentleman conceived the happy idea of converting it to its present purpose, built this beautiful edifice at his own cost, and presented it to the district. The congregation has grown up almost as rapidly as the building itself. All the sittings not free are let at from 1l. 1s. to 2l. 2s. per annum, and the congregation is usually full and of a superior class at the morning and evening services. The Duke of Argyll and the Earl of Airlie and families hold sittings, and usually attend here, with other families and persons of note and character located in and about this aristocratic neighbourhood. On Sunday morning, the 25th of June, 1871 the church was crowded, a rumour having gone abroad that the Princess Louise, the daughter-in-law of the Duke of Argyll, was expected to be present. If this were the cause, however, there must have been considerable disappointment, as the Princess was certainly not there. The Vicar, the Rev. George Bennett, who is usually the morning preacher, preached a useful and discriminating sermon on John xvii. 16, pointing out in what sense Christ was not of the world, and in what sense his true people are not of the world. Some seasonable remarks were made about the temptation under which Christians now lie to succumb to what is called “public opinion,” until there is danger of their placing the voice of “society” above the voice of conscience and the word of God. Yet this was the only standard of right and wrong; whilst the standard set up by the world was an unreal one, and not sincerely believed even by those who, from the force of fashion, practised it. The prayers were read by the Rev. Mr. Becker, and the Litany by the Rev. Mr. Frampton, the Curates. In this instance there is also a lay reader, Mr. Gordon Cleather, who, in a surplice, read the lessons well and distinctly. The Rev. Dr. Davis is the evening preacher, who is known as a clergyman of distinguished talent. The church has no endowment, and the clergy are maintained and the expenses met out of the pew-rents and offertories. There are several religious and benevolent institutions, also, supported by the congregation or receiving aid from it. In St. George’s Schools there are boys about 100 and girls the same number, with infants about 130. These received voluntary aid to the amount of 160l. in 1870. There is a District Visiting Society account, for which, including a Maternity, Provident, and Work Society, there was received from various sources and disbursed the sum of 360l. in the year. The offertories, apart from subscriptions—and from which all objects are aided in proportion—brought 181l. 0s. 6d.; and there are lists of subscribers to all the funds—as, for instance, to the Church Service Fund, the offertories for which amounted only to 39l. 16s. 9d., but which was raised by two collections in the year and subscriptions to 108l. 11s. 4d. The worship is plain Church of England, barring the intoning of portions of the prayers. The choir is not surpliced, and the singing, for the most part, lively, accompanied by a good organ, well played by Herr Sowerby, Professor. The hymns are “Ancient and Modern,” published at the Sacred Music Warehouse, Novello and Co., Dean-street. The order of services are—Sunday: morning at 11, afternoon 3.30, evening at 7; Wednesdays, Fridays, and holidays. Holy Communion on the first and third Sunday in the month at 9 a.m., and on the second Sunday after the morning service.
ST. PETER’S, NOTTING HILL.
St. Peter’s, Notting-hill, in the Kensington-park-road, is an Italian edifice, looking of some importance as regards its west elevation, the only portion of the church seen from the road. On close inspection it is disappointing to find stucco in place of stone facing the work. The elevation consists of a large enclosed portico with engaged columns, supporting an entablature and pediment, which is surmounted by a square tower with engaged columns and tower lights, and terminating with a sort of pepper box top. Although not so prominently or so beautifully placed as St. John’s, it has a pleasing appearance from the road; the effect, however, is somewhat diminished by a dwarfed cupola. A more lofty, tapering campanile would have added much to its importance. The façade is not seen to advantage, from its close proximity to the road. A large vestibule gives access to the main body of the church and the gallery staircases. The plan of the church consists of a nave and aisles, a portion of the east end being railed off to form a chancel. Three large galleries partly enclose the church, and entirely cover the space of the aisles. Large Corinthian columns and entablature support the roof; just above the cornice are semicircular clerestory lights, glazed in a fan-like manner. The roof is enclosed by a flat ceiling in panels, ornamented with centre flowers, and the aisles are ceiled at a lower level below the clerestory.
The church has had everything done for it that can be in the way of decoration, which has been very beautifully executed, and in perfect keeping with the style of the building. The Greek ornament and colouring are at once harmonious and agreeable, and should prove a good lesson to all, showing what may be done to beautify even a heavy building, and how very efficient church decorators have hitherto been in the adornment of our churches. One can only hope that some whitewash advocates may be induced from these remarks to visit St. Peter’s. We are quite sure they will change their minds—and some churchwardens may well blush for their own doings, and set about an improved state of things in their own churches. The east end is more ornately decorated than other portions; the caps and bases of the columns are guilded, the panels are fitted with diaper and lily ornaments. Some rather happy stained glass, illustrating incidents in the life of St. Peter, assists in producing an exceedingly well-conceived whole. Two of the windows are of superior workmanship, by Clayton and Bell, but the centre large one is slightly pretentions, somewhat faulty in drawing, and not equal to the general features of the decorations, though the appearance of the chancel on entering the church is singularly fine. The Gothic furniture and stalls of the chancel we dislike, being out of place. The pulpit is cleverly contrived to be as light and unobstructive as possible, yet necessarily high, on account of the galleries, and, moreover, so gossamer-like with regard to its enclosing railing, that any near-sighted strangers may be forgiven for a feeling of nervousness for the safety of the preacher.
The vase font is near the western entrance. The organ is in the west gallery. Some stained glass of good design fills some of the aisle-windows. The passages are paved, with ornamental tiles, the pewing has been cut down, and would be greatly improved raised four or five inches above the level of the passage-paving. The church is thoroughly and expensively heated with warm air, and lighted at night by a sun-burner from the roof, containing 120 jets. Every attention appears to have been paid to ensure the comfort of the congregation. The most marked feature of St. Peter’s Church is its interior, which, as a whole, is very beautiful. The style is worked out in Pompeian red, and, although florid in development, is by no means obtrusive; and from the general harmonies of colour and subdued blendings, it is thought to conduce to a feeling of devotional repose. The galleries, however, constitute a great drawback to this otherwise very pleasing interior. They are too flat in construction, and too ponderous for the limited space between the roof and the floor of the side aisles.