St John's Wood: All Saints: Finchley Road
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 266 834
The church was begun in 1845 and consecrated on 19th July, 1846. The tower and spire were added later by Christopher and White, and dedicated on 5th January, 1890. The parish hall had originally been proposed to be built in the churchyard on the south side of the church, but in 1891 it was built in Queen's Terrace, to the north of the church.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave and chancel under a continuous ridged roof; south-eastvestry; north and south transepts; and south-west tower and spire.
Dimensions:
The spire is 148 ft. 6 incl. high and the foundations of the tower and spire are said to go down as much as 28 ft. The length of the church from porch to east wall is 98 ft. and the total width of nave and aisles is 61 ft.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was begun in 1845 and consecrated on 19th July, 1846. The tower and spire were added later by Christopher and White, and dedicated on 5th January, 1890. The parish hall had originally been proposed to be built in the churchyard on the south side of the church, but in 1891 it was built in Queen's Terrace, to the north of the church.
Exterior Description
It is the western frontispiece which is the most striking aspect of the church, and this consists of three distinct elements arranged so as to form a composition of pleasing irregularity: the central salient is the tall gabled west end of the nave; then on the north side the aisle is brought forward several feet and has a prominent arrangeodnt of buttresses - at the two corners there are stepped diagonal buttresses, with tall crocketted pinnacles rising out of them near the top, and two buttresses each with a single set-off on the west side flanking the aisle door; on the south side rises the tower - austere and unelaborate below, but above the clock bursting into a riot of pierced belfry windows, pinnacles (which terminate the pairs of clasping buttresses), prominent gargoyles at the four corners, a pierced balustrade with panelled salients at the corners and, lastly, the spire. The spire is a tall one, octagonal and uncommonly elegant in profile, and can be seen from Primrose Hill as well as contributing much to the streetscape of its immediate environs. There is a single tier of tall lucarnes at about one third of the total height. Of the exterior of the church there is little otherwise that needs to be said. The roofs, which are covered with slates, are steeply pitched; the walls are of Kentish ragstone, with dressings of Bath stone; and the character of the windows and their tracery is moderately convincing late-Perpendicular.
The steep pitch of the roof was one of the few features of the building, as originally completed, that earned the commendation of The Ecclesiologist.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
East window, by Clayton and Bell.
Stained Glass
1892
North transept, north window: by Clayton and Bell, and erected to ilo memory of the Rev. Henry Eyre (d.1890) in 1892.
Stained Glass
North aisle: five of the six windows have glass by Bell and Beckham. Each window is of two tall lights with a quatrefoil in the head and each main light contains a well-drawn and monumental figure. In the westernmostwindow is glass which is unfortunately out of the series, a window erected in memory of Samuel Stratton Hope (d.1914); it depicts the Baptism of Our Lord, the design is spread across the two lights.
Stained Glass
South aisle: windows (1), (5) and (6) from the east are by Bell and Beckham. Windows 2, 3 and 4 are signed 'Pilgrim Wetton; craftwork by Luxford'.
Interior
Interior Description
Architecturally the interior has the character of a large, late Perpendicular town church - St. Margaret's, Westminster, is a possible model which springs to mind. The aisle windows have two principal cinquefoil-headed lights, with a quatrefoil in the head; the north and south transept windows are larger, with three main lights and tracery in the head; then the west window is of considerable size, with four main lights and three tiers of tracery; and the east window, fittingly, largest of all with a traceried head under a flattened triangular head of very late Perpendicular form and the lower part divided into two by a transom, the upper and lower half each having five cinquefoiled lights. The walls are plastered and painted cream. The south transept is furnished as a chapel and the north transept is a vestry, with the organ chamber built on to the east of it and effectively stifling the sound of the instrument.
Fixtures and fittings
Organ (object)
Three manual. Rebuilt in 1912 for £600 by J.J. Binns of Leeds, and then in the early 1930s Foskett and Co. rebuilt it again.
Screen
That between the chancel and south transept chapel is of some quality.
Font (object)
Has a pink alabaster bowl, with quatrefoil panels, carved in relief on the sides, the bowl being'supported on eight colonettes alternately of green and illOpink marble. On the east side of the font (designed by Miss Mary Eyre, and given in 1887) is a white marble angel with wings,
Screen
1897
The alabaster chancel screen, with polygonal ambone south of the central opening, was given in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee.
Pulpit
The pulpit - like the N. transept window, is a memorial to the Revd. H.S. Eyre. It is of marble and alabaster, en suite with the chancel screen.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 266 834
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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