This folder which is a work in progress is dedicated to Londons Mid Century modern period churches that I have visited so far. Some I have not managed to gain entry and others I still need to get decent external shots:

Firstly my lovely local church! although I might add I’m not a churchgoer, only architecturally!….St Richards Church, Ham, Richmond. Built by The developer Wates as part of the Wates/Ham Riverside Lands Housing Estate. By Architect Ralph Covell. In plan the design is based on a Star of David creating a hexagonal central space with various ancillary spaces within the triangular points round the periphery. Makes for a very flexible community space. Internally it has a very nice steel and laminated timber framed ceiling with timber plank cladding between which undulates to the complex form. There are 14 beautiful sections of Dalle De Verre stained glass windows by Henry Haig. It was completed around 1964

Dalle De Verre stained glass windows by Henry Haig

Sacristy door panels in painted enamel by Henry Haig.

bottom middle: Dalle De Verre stained glass window by Henry Haig

Catholic Church of St Margaret of Scotland, St Margaret’s Rd, Twickenham. By Austin Winkley 1968-9. Built entirely of concrete blocks inside and out but feeling surprisingly warm. There’s an almost complete lack of decoration with small touches of stained glass.. The dominant feature being the roof which is has an impression of defying gravity due to being suspended from a cross formation of steel truss beams. All in original condition and Grade II listed. Many thanks to the Rector Peter Newby for letting me in and showing me round. It’s a church that has to be appreciated from inside as externally it’s difficult to read and easily mistaken for not being a church at all we’re it not for a cross that looks like it’s made of scaffolding poles.

Suspended glass mosaic crucifix (& what looks like cast iron) over the altar by Stephen Sykes with stained glass by Patrick Reyntiens behind (nicknamed “the fried egg”)

Roman Catholic Church of the Annunciation and St Augustine, Beckenham Hill, London SE6. A circular (grade II listed) brick church with a futuristic interior that makes me think of the Carousel scene in the sci-fi film Logan’s run, check it out on you tube..it’s by Raglan Squire & Partners and dates from 1963-4. It’s a reworked and reduced version of their competition entry for Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. That competition was won by Sir Frederick Gibberd. Many thanks to the church secretary, Christina for letting me inside.

Beam me up!

Newcourt Christian Centre, Regina Rd, Finsbury Park, N4. The impressive feature here being the complicated copper clad star shaped roof with a central spire of sorts. It’s in rather poor condition but pretty much in its original state barring the decorations. Interesting suspended sculptural copper light fitting within. Many thanks to the Pastor Michael letting for me in. By John Diamond 1961.

St Katherine with St Bartholomew, South Bermondsey. Hidden away on a tight site in a back street, this interesting little church has zig zagged brick walls inside and out. The interior is simple but with some rather nice suspended groups of opal glass pendant lamps around the perimeter. The ceiling is just one big white painted coffer, must say was expecting some kind of timber ceiling which is more typical of the period. The great feature of this church though are the numerous beautiful Dale de Verre stained glass windows, abstract hexagonal sections within a concrete frame. An immense amount of work within all those windows! It’s by Ralph Covell, 1960. Covell designed 7 churches built in London, including the fabulous St Lawrence, Catford and my local church, St Richards, Ham. Both in this folder.

Dale de Verre stained glass windows.

St Boniface in Whitechapel. It's a German Catholic Church. Due to visiting during Open House there was a demonstration of how to use aspects of the church organ and then a recital after. Completed in October 1960, by Architects, Plaskett Marshall & Partners. No pics of the outside as did not want to get my camera wet at the time! So will add another time. Has a lovely skinny bell tower with the bells exposed stacked up on each other in a vertical row. Still have to get decent external shots…

St Laurence in Catford (this is a duplicate post as its also on my Catford folder but had to be here as well) From outside it looks small and all weathered concrete beams but I was not prepared for the immense contrast inside! It’s like stepping into Dr Who’s Tardis. It’s so much bigger and brighter than expected. The triangulated concrete coffer ceiling is spectacular with its skylight in the middle. A fabulous space age back illuminated halo frame and illuminated rough cast glass cross on the wall behind the altar. I was very kindly let in by a lady in the community centre. What a treat! Dates from 1968, Architect, Ralph Covell. Catford certainly has its highlights!

The Abbey Estate, Abbey Wood SE2. William Temple Church on Eynsham Drive. It’s by Ralph Covell and dates from 1966. Covell also did the amazing St Lawrence in Catford and my local church St Richards, Ham, both in this folder...The estate is a bit like a mini new town and mostly made up of plain 2 storey terraced brick houses but has a scattering of small 5 storey blocks of flats and a kind of small “town centre” with a parade of shops with flats over, this church, community hall and tower block, reminds me of walking around Harlow. It really needs some TLC though! By the LCC Architect’s Dept, designed from 1959, finished 1964. Have yet to access the interior.

The Finnish Church in London, at Rotherhithe. It's a short walk from Canada Water tube station. Really nicely detailed mid century church. It operates more like a community centre as its has a cafe & shop, both selling Finnish food and products. Bought some Marimekko paper napkins that I did not need! Also has a Library, Sauna and even accommodation! From outside it does not look like a church apart from its bell tower. Tricky to photograph as trees and a building site in the way. So will make a winter visit for those pics. Shame all churches could not be like this rather than locked up all week except for a Sunday service. Designed by Cyrill Mardall-Sjostrom and opened in 1957. Grade II listed.

St Paul's Church, Bow Common, East London. Built 1958-1960 By Robert Maguire and Keith Murray. It's a square Church constructed of in-situ cast concrete and brick. It has a central Altar which was the first in the U.K. The Altar is under a beautifully detailed blackened steel structure with a pitched marble slab roof which slightly lets the light through. A mosaic called Heavenly Host is on the walls internally. Its by Charles Lutyens and took 5 years to complete using 700 colours of Mosaic Tesserae from Murano

Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks: Next to St James park. Beautifully understated & minimal .Built around surviving elements of an 1838 Chapel destroyed in 1944. By Bruce George of George Trew & Dunn Architects 1962-3. West Elevation in photo above which I feel is somewhat Aldo Rossi / Italian Rationalist style..

The Immaculate Heart of Mary, RC church, Botwell Lane, Hayes. A beautiful bright and airy church with a high degree of glazing. Fabulous internal colour scheme of green, (mosaic tiles to columns) red and pale peach. Stained glass by Goddard & Gibbs. Beautiful floating plain white scalloped ceiling that does a good impression of a more modern day tensile structure. There’s a wonderful Chancel Painting (titled: The Immaculate Heart of Mary) by the Italian artist Pietro Annigoni (1910-1988) specially commissioned it features factories & pylons in the background, being symbolic of activities in the local area and that Mary like us had to work. Architecture by Burles Newton & partners 1961.

South Green Chapel at Charing Cross Hospital Fulham. Quite an anonymous and almost windowless blocky in brick structure that disguises a massively contrasting interior. Inside it feels like Dr Who’s Tardis as it feels much larger inside than the exterior suggests. Inside there’s a pretty much an independently standing polygonal concrete “tent like” structure formed of boomerang shaped concrete ribs that spring up from what looks to be a ring beam under a deep timber clad ledge and then lean and meet at the top centre. The space between the exterior walls and the roof structure is filled with a continuous roof light which has white timber louvred sections to diffuse the light. Each side of the alter there’s some beautiful stained glass by Alfred Fisher. There’s also stained glass each side of the entrance by John Piper & Patrick Reyntiens which Pevsner preferred, personally I prefer the ones by Fisher…The hospital complex was constructed from 1969-73 and designed by Ralph Tubbs.

Our Lady of the Visitation, RC Church, Greenford. Constructed around a series of beautiful slim concrete parabolic arches that spring up from ground level. The side walls have lovely recessed vertical strip windows with panels of coloured glass that line through with the arches giving a cut and shift effect..Externally the church is mostly in brick and has a municipal appearance of being a tube station or swimming pool. Some awful completely inappropriate patterned brick cladding has been added in the 90’s around the entrance area to apparently replace concrete panels that had failed…It’s by David Stokes and was built from 1960-61. It’s easily accessible being open every day which is pretty unusual as most churches are locked up most of the time.