Weight: 448 lbs Diameter: 26" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Warner & Sons
Dove Bell ID: 58844 Tower ID: 22813 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
St Matthew Ponders End
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 354 956
Nave and N aisle by H. J. Paull, 1877-78. Chancel added by J. E. K and J. P. Cutts, 1900. Organ installed 1909.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Four-bay nave, N aisle incorporating N porch, chancel, N and S chapels, vestry.
Description of Archaeology and History
Until the C19 Ponders End was one of a string of hamlets along the Hertford Road, the line of the Roman Ermine Street, in the flat, swampy land of the Lea Valley; one archaeological survey in the vicinity uncovered C1-C2 pottery. As industry developed on the flat land beside river and railway, they expanded into a string of artisan settlements, continuous by the end of the C19. There was a flour mill from the C16 (a C18 mill building survives near the river); the railway arrived in 1840 and a gas works opened in 1859.
There is no reason to believe that the site of the church has any special archaeological potential.
There are cremated remains in the garden of remembrance to the N and NW.
St Matthew’s was founded in 1877, the foundation stone having been laid by James Meyer of Forty Hall (it survives beside the NW door, now all but illegible). Up to this point, the nearest churches were St Andrew’s in Enfield Town and (from 1831) St James Enfield Highway. The original church (nave and N aisle) was designed by H. J. Paull, FRIBA, who also designed St James. St Matthew’s was a chapel of ease to St James until the turn of the century, when it became a parish church in its own right; at the same time, the church was enlarged by the addition of a chancel, organ chamber and vestry by J. E. K. and J. P. Cutts. The church survived WW2 without serious structural damage, though many of the windows were blown out by a bomb blast nearby.
Exterior Description
It is immediately obvious that this is a church built in two parts. Externally, Paull’s church of the late 1870s is more interesting than the later chancel, using its touches of constructional polychromy to good effect; in architectural terms it is regrettable that it was never finished by the completion of the S aisle. Externally, the later chancel has a somewhat ‘bolted-on’ look about it, but without it the church would probably look a little disproportionate – too tall for its length – and it has a positive effect on the internal volume of the building.
The church is predominantly in random Kentish ragstone rubble, uncoursed for the nave and N aisle, coursed for the chancel, with a plinth.
The building features a number of different styles of window. At clerestory level: to nave, N, five windows, geometrical tracery, each two lancets with cinquefoil and mouchettes above, with hood-moulds joining string course; to chancel, N, two windows, each three lancets with mouchettes and cinquefoil above, with hood-moulds joining string course; to nave, S: six openings with brick surrounds conjoined to a brick string-course, two (those at each end, E and W) bricked up, the others with Y-tracery. To chancel, S, one window, three lancets, cusped, with cinquefoil and mouchettes above. At ground level: to nave, N, four sets of three cusped lancets separated by buttresses; to Lady Chapel, two sets of three lancets (uncusped) separated by buttresses. To Lady Chapel, E, plate tracery, three lancets, that at the centre elongated with two circular openings to left and right, with a hood mould. To organ chamber, S, three-lancet window with Bath stone surround. To vestry, S, two-lancet window in Bath stone surround; E, three-light square-topped window and square-topped door, each in a Bath stone surround. Main E window: five lancets, cusped, the central one elongated, with cinquefoils, quatrefoils, mouchettes and daggers to either side, with a hood mould. W windows: two, with geometrical tracery, each two lancets with a cinquefoil and mouchettes and a hood-mould that meets across the intervening lesene.
The roofs are of slate, those to the nave in two colours, patterned. Nave and chancel roofs are steeply pitched; the mono-pitch roof to the N aisle is shallower. There are terracotta ridge-riles to the NW porch and vestry. There is stone bell-cote formed centrally to the chancel arch wall line (originally, the E wall of Paull’s church) together with stone pinnacles to the N and S sides at eaves-level (the S pinnacle has been lost). Sprocketed eaves to nave roof, not to chancel.
The N elevation is distinguished by the porch to the NW, which has unfortunately been blighted aesthetically by a utilitarian access ramp. The N door has a hood mould with foliate label stops. The N elevation features string courses beneath the aisle windows and joining-up the hood-moulds of the clerestory windows. The E elevation has a coped gable with kneelers, and a string course that steps up to meet the underside of the E window. The vestry, W, has blind stone arches, mostly covered by the unsightly link to the church hall. The S elevation is characterised by the large bricked-up arches of the unbuilt S aisle. The W elevation is the most varied, featuring a central lesene, three string-courses, a W door surrounded with facing brick, and in the apex of the gable, two lancet openings, half-blocked, to ventilate the roof space; the gable is topped with a cross finial.
Building Fabric and Features
Chancel
20th century added 1900
Nave
19th century 4 bay
Aisle
19th century north
Porch
19th century in north aisle
Chapel (component)
19th century north and south
Vestry
19th century
Building Materials
Kentish Ragstone
19th century
Bath Stone
19th century quoins, window surrounds and dressngs
Brick
19th century north nave window surrounds and west door
Slate
19th century roof
Terracotta
19th century ridge tiles
Painted Plaster
19th century interior walls
Tile
19th century black and cream quarry tiles to inside floors
Interior
Interior Description
Entry is though the NW door, and then via draught lobby with a cusped lancet window and two-leaf pointed-arched door. Above the door of the draught lobby, inside the church, is mounted the WW1 Roll of Honour.
Paull’s flooring continues his sparing yet effective use of constructional polychromy, in rows of red, black and cream quarry tiles laid in rows point-to-point. The central aisle has a central floor grille. Fixed pews stand on wooden floorboards level with the aisles. There are two stone steps up to Lady Chapel in NE corner, which has parquet flooring; there are two further steps up to the Lady Chapel altar. From the Lady Chapel, one step up into chancel. The Lady chapel is divided from the chancel, at the E end, by a low stone wall.
The pillars are circular, stone, with a variety of good capitals carved with naturalistic foliage, and bases with roll moulding. The arches on the S side are blocked; that closest to the E has an opening cut into it, leading, via a link, to the church hall. Beneath the paint on the S wall there is evidence of some earlier decorative wall painting.
The nave has a wagon roof divided into compartments with dark timbers; the panelling between painted red. In the chancel, the same, but the timbers left exposed. The wooden roof beams are carried on stone corbels. The S aisle has a lean-to roof, with arched braces supported on stone corbels. The high chancel arch is supported on corbels, inverted cones.
There are deep reveals to the window openings; those to the aisle windows have low, round arches, those in the Lady Chapel in stone. A string course runs beneath the clerestory windows.
On the S side at the W end of the nave, a baptistery formed by the war memorial screen to the E and low iron rails to the S. Font on cruciform plinth surrounded by vinyl floor tiles. The W door, two-leaf, wood, is in a four-centred arched surround with deep reveals.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century High altar, wood with Gothic tracery. Lady chapel altar. Wood. quatrefoil panels.
Pulpit
20th century Wood, with carved panels and tracery. “To the glory of God and in affectionate memory of the Reverend Frederick Charles Lloyd first vicar of this parish this pulpit was erected by the members of his family and by some of his old friends. April 1918.”
Lectern
20th century Brass: “Presented by the children of the parish – Fest. S. Matt. 1906”. Wooden lectern in baptistery, a WW2 memorial.
Font (component)
19th century Given by Elizabeth Potter, 1884. Stone, octagonal, with eight carved panels and red and green marble colonettes. Wood cover with iron decoration.
Reredos
20th century Behind high altar: in large wooden frame, painting of the Nativity with the evangelists on the two outer panels. Brass plaque records: “This triptych and the east window above were erected to the glory of God and in blessed memory of George Reynolds Wright & Matilda Wright of Mill House Ponders End AD 1921.”
Pew (component)
19th century Pews in nave, simple quatrefoil decoration to ends. Evidence of umbrella-holders having been removed. Fixed to floor, no raised platforms.
Organ (component)
19th century Large two-manual pipe organ, Speechley, 1860, brought from John Wesley’s Chapel, Great Queen St., 1910. Rebuilt without addition or deviation, 1984-5, by Peter Wood of Thaxted. Gilt display pipes in plain post and rack case. 30 note pedalboard; 3+3 pedal combinations; ratchet swell pedal.
Plaque (component)
19th century Brass plaque on baptistery N wall: “To the glory of God and in memory of Miss Elizabeth Pitter, who died Feby. 14th 1884 aged 80, a benefactress of Ponders End. She was the donor of the font & chief contributor to the first requirements of this church.” Various small brass plaques beneath N aisle windows.
Inscribed Object
20th century Stone tablet, N wall: “To the glory of God and in memory of Charles John Adams, George Frederick Dyer, Frederick George Portlock, faithful servants of this church, new electric light was installed, October 1950.” Stone tablet, Lady Chapel N wall: “In loving memory of Emma Mary Blaise, a devoted district nurse of this parish and a worshipper in this church for 45 years. Died 19 January 1951, aged 79 years. “Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.” This tablet was given by her friends and members of the Eastern Enfield District Nursing Association.” Stone tablet in chancel, S wall, with relief carving of vines and corbel table: “To the glory of God and in loving memory fo the Reverend Henry Martin Sharpe M.A. For 15 years vicar of this parish who was called suddenly to his rest on August 24th 1908 at Sheringham, Norfolk. “Whose I am & whom I serve” Acts 27.25.”
Screen
20th century WW1 & WW2. Wrought iron chancel screen, moved to the W end in 1978. “Go your way into his gates with thanksgiving”, with Calvary group.
Plaque (component)
20th century Two brass plaques: “1914-1918: This screen was erected to the Glory of God and in grateful memory of / those from this parish who laid down their lives in the Great War.” WW1. Marble plaque in NE chapel: “To the glory of God and in loving memory of Arnold Joseph Smith, Cpl. 1st London Rgt., killed in action April 23rd 1918. Aged 23 years. Son of Mr and Mrs C. J. Smith. “He died that we might live.”” WW1. Brass plaque, organ chamber: “To the glory of God and in loving memory of Percy John Dix Farmer M. S. M., Company Quartermaster Sergeant, 9th (Service) Battalion Norfolk Regiment, Killed in Action, France, April 17th 1918. Age 30 years. For seven years Organist and Choirmaster of this church. Erected by officers, non-comd. officers and men of the Battalion, as a token of respect and esteem. “Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.”” With badge of Norfolk Regiment.
Stained Glass (window)
20th century E window: Ascension, dated 1921, thought to be by Jones and Willis. N chancel chapel, E: Resurrection, 1918, Jones and Willis (a War Memorial – see above). N aisle (four 3-light windows) and N chancel chapel, N (two 3-light windows), centre light only in each case: individual allegorical figures, brought from another church. Undated but thought to be 1920s. Burlison and Grylls style. Plaque records: “The windows of the Lady Chapel and of the aisle formerly in the church of St Luke Finchley were brought to this church by the generous assistance of the London Stained Glass Repository September 1988.” N aisle, W: St Matthew. Though to be 1930s and to have been brought from another church. Unsigned.
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Simple wooden chairs in Lady Chapel. In Chancel, two Jacobean-style chairs with barley-twist deoration.
Baptisms, since 1981; Marriages since 1985; Banns since 1986; Confirmation since 1925; Services since 1979. All others held by the Greater London Record Office.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 354 956
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
Sources
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