Canning Town: St Matthias
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 396 823
The church was designed by Percy Charles Boddy, who was in the office of J.E.K. Cutts, and was responsible for some of his churches. But for minor rebuilding after war damage, the building is all of 1907.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Broad nave and aisles of five bays with a distinct half-bay at d the west end accomodating the baptistery. The entrances are placed symmetrically in the aisles of the western bay although only the southern one can ever be used. Chancel with choir and sanctuary raised well above the nave floor. To the north is a Lady Chapel of the same width as the aisle, to the south a transept housing an organ gallery above the vestries. Apart from these minor deviations, it is a regular and symmetrical composition. There is seating accomodation for about 1,000.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was designed by Percy Charles Boddy, who was in the office of J.E.K. Cutts, and was responsible for some of his churches. But for minor rebuilding after war damage, the building is all of 1907. The cost was £7,000, which explains the very frugal nature of the architecture. Immediately to the south is a vicarage by G.N. Kent built in 1910, and beyond this the church hall of 1955. The present building is the first church to occupy this site; it replaced a prefabricated iron missionary church.
Exterior Description
Externally a bulky building, whose prominent and moderately pitched roofs and substanital areas of blank brick walling stand out. The undersized bell turret and aisle buttresses are also notable. The entrance porches have individual pyramid roofs, but do not register clearly as the point of reception being undersized. The foundation stone in the east wall was laid in 1907 by Lady Rayleigh.
Interior
Interior Description
The style of the detailing is in the manner of the late 14th century, though the proportions are not. The sturdy arcade has octagonal piers of stone with simple moulded capitals, supporting chamfered arches of exposed brick. Each bay of the clerestory has a pair of double light windows with pointed segmental heads and cinquefoil cusping. The aisle windo are of the broad three light type, square-headed with ogee and mouchette motifs on the tracery. The westernmost bay is lit by tall transomed windows. Both east and west windows are broad with five lights, the two central mullions rising through the panel tracery. The west window has a four-centred arch, but the arch of the east window is two-centred. The tracery of both is fairly closely based on late 14th century parish-church work and incorporates an irregular sexfoiled motif at the crown. The windows have a stone rere-arch internally highlightingthe thickness of the walls. They are all filled with pale tinted glass dating from a post-war restoration after bomb-damage. There is no stained glass. The nave roof has rather angular trusses with vestigial hammer beams, with simpler tiebeam and king post trusses between the main bays. The timbers are mostly unadorned, not even moulded, and support an unpainted ceiling. The corbel brackets are very simple stone blocks.
There is a very large chancel arch, also of exposed brick. The chancel is raised three steps from the nave, this elevation being reflected in the height of the roof, the cills of the clerestory windows and the capitals. The detail is similar to that of the nave. Instead of the lean-to aisle roofs there is a separately roofed Lady Chapel to the north, divided by a masonry arch resting on round pillars which corresponds to the double-arched arcade between the Lady Chapel and the chancel. The chapel has a small three light east window with a monter segmental head and fleuron motifs on the tracery. The roof is a simple tied truss boarded over, but unpainted.
The main chancel roof has a smaller span than that of the nave, and the trusses are scissor-braced. It is again without enrichment. To the south is a large organ gallery forming a kind of transept. The sanctuary is raised by a further two steps. There is a double piscina and a sedillia with a very flat four-centred arch; the Lady Chapel has a similar arrangement on a reduced scale: the detail of both is unremarkable. The whole of the interior is rendered a yellow cream, the structural details excepted. The floor is of undecorated red tiles.
Fixtures and fittings
Pulpit
The Pulpit is an irregular octagon in plan, and of two storeys. The oak panels are decorated with grossly flattened cusped ogees, more freely treated than the architectural detail.
Lectern
Eagle Lectern, in oak, given by Sir Henry and Lady Foster, who also gave a figure of Our Lord carved in oak in memory of their son killed in action in the First World War.
Font (object)
1907
The font is a bulbous alabaster piece, given by St. Matthias Torquay in 1907. It bears an inscription, commemorating the Revd. T.N. Hicks, first vicar of St. Matthias Torquay.
Font (object)
A tall font cover with counter weight attatchment. The cover is a slender octagonal cone enriched with attractive intertwined leaf carving.
Screen
There is an oak chancel screen of seven bays. It was erected in 1922 as the parish war menorial, the names of the fallen being inscribed on the dado.
Altar
The Altar is a full English altar with gold painted riddle posts and a double gradine. The dado of the east sanctuary wall was panelled in oak before the Second World War, and is very simply enriched with small rectangular panels of naturalistic foliage. There are various banners and processional crosses.
Organ (object)
The Organ is a playable two manual instrument with an oak case. It waas reconditioned by Henry Willis in 1954.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 396 823
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 | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
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
Quinquennial Inspections
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