Our Lady
Immaculate and St Frederick, Tower Hamlets, London
Architect
|
A. J. Sparrow
|
Date Built
|
Completed 1934
|
Location
|
Island Row,
Commercial Road, Limehouse |
Description
|
The
"taking-stock.org.uk" website, dedicated to
assessing
the historical and architectural importance of
every Catholic church and chapel in England and
Wales, describes this building as, "An
Italianate inter-war church with a fine
interior and several original or early
furnishings of note. The northeast tower and
the statue of Christ at the west end are
landmarks in the St Anne’s Church
Conservation Area, designed to be seen from
the Limehouse Basin and the Thames."
It goes on to explain that the church's original
mission in the area was, "...founded in
February 1881 to serve the large Irish
population around Limehouse. Initially, Mass
was said in a room over a chandler’s shop
and then in the priest’s house in 9 Turner’s
Road. Later that year, a temporary church by
H. J. Hansom opened."
This building was to become the congregation's
permanent home. A. J. Sparrow, who was
involved in the design of the Poplar Baths was
responsible for drawing up the plans in
1925. However, as the website
explains, "... Lack of money delayed the
building of the church and the mission
priest Fr Higley acted as his own
contractor, clerk of works and foreman,
supervising just five skilled workmen as
well as volunteers who worked in the
evenings. Cardinal Bourne laid the
foundation stone on Whit Monday 1927. The
church and presbytery were completed in
1934; the convent adjoining the presbytery
was never built. Galleries over the aisles
were planned but remained unexecuted."
"The church is built using purple brick
laid in Flemish bond, over a plinth of black
brick. The plan is rectangular, comprising
an aisled nave, a northeast tower and an
apse. There is a basement below the church
... . The nave roof is pitched, and the
aisle roofs are flat. The
street elevation consists of the blind
semicircular apse with red brick banding and
a cross of red brick. Alongside this is the
five-stage tower, also with red brick bands,
with a niche containing a statue of the
Virgin Mary and a clock to the north. .....
.... The belfry stage has three
small round-headed louvred windows under a
larger arch. The pyramidal tower roof is
covered in copper. At the base of the tower
is a granite tablet in memory of Fr Higley
(1888-1934), founder of the church. ....
... In front, is a
cruciform sculpture of Christ Crucified
on a brick plinth (1997, Sean Henry,
made by Bronze Age, a nearby foundry)."
"Above roof level at the west end is a
tall chimney-like brick plinth
supporting a statue of the Sacred Heart,
sometimes known locally as ‘Christ the
Steersman’, carved of oak in the manner
of a ship’s figurehead. It was designed
to be seen from the Limehouse Basin and
the Thames."
|
Close
Window
|
