Feature Story

THE HIDDEN GEMS

A series of churches ...some of the not-so-well known churches that grace London will be examined in our feature section - our first is a real gem....

A LONDON VICTORIAN SPLENDOUR   First in a Series of HIDDEN GEMS

A CATHEDRAL-LIKE BUILDING WITH AN INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

The 1882 church was built to house the huge congregations that flocked to hear the then incumbent, Archdeacon Hunter. The church is large, built in Victorian Gothic Revival style, and at one stage had seating for at least 1400 people. It is arranged in a traditional layout and here is an organ by Walker that is used at all main services.

HISTORY

Bayswater is now the name of the greater part of the former Paddington metropolitan borough south of the railway, but was originally that of a hamlet (also called Bayswatering) situated near where the Westbourne or Bayswater rivulet flowed under the Uxbridge (now Bayswater) Road, the church being on St Petersburgh Place, in that area.

Interestingly both Moscow Road (Orthodox Cathedral) and St. Petersburgh Place are supposed to recall Orme's successful business dealings with the Russians, but may have been so named to commemorate Czar Alexander's visit to London in 1814. Orme's own name survives in nearby Orme Square, which he built in 1823.

Bayswater Chapel, built by Edward Orme and opened in 1818, stood on the site of the present church, and could seat 1200 people. By 1861 the population had risen to 75,784 and Bayswater was almost completely built over: the" great and aristocratic town" referred to in "The Builder" in 1862 was nearing completion. In 1858 the chapel was given its own parish and renamed St. Matthew's, receiving at the same time a facade in the baroque style. A weighty campanile in a Venetian gothic manner was added a little incongruously in 1871: in it were housed the bells and clock given to the church and subsequently transferred to the present tower.

THE PRESENT CHURCH

An appeal for funds for the building of a new church was announced in June 1879, and the site enlarged by the purchase of the vicarage (where the tower now stands), although this still did not allow room enough for the church to be oriented. The first service in the new church was held on 21st May, 1882.

SUNDAYS  8.15 A.M. AND 11 A.M. ALL WELCOME – PRAYER BOOK SERVICES
A PLACE TO BE SEEN!