PARTICULAR church chronicles are scarcely found among the thousands of
volumes which annually issue from the press, although there are no
chronicles that have in them more of what is really of public import. In
regard to Metropolitan churches, nothing of the kind we here present to
our readers has yet been attempted. Detached notices of a church here
and there will sometimes be found in our periodicals or newspapers; but
no effort has yet been made to supply a collective and relative view of
all particular church history and operations in given districts in a
permanent and useful form. Yet, these churches have now become so
numerous and influential, and are yearly increasing to such a degree,
unparalleled in any former age, that it would seem they demand distinct
and special recognition and record, and surely are worthy to be preserved
in their characteristics as among the ingredients which must enter into
the general church history of our times. It may thus happen that we are
supplying a real desideratum in Christian literature. The present issue
may either be taken as an entire work in itself, or as the first of a
series which will appear at intervals, as often and as regularly as
circumstances may determine. It contains accounts, longer or shorter as
each case admitted, _historical_, _ecclesiastical_, _architectural_,
_clerical_, religious, and social of over fifty churches—established and
non-conforming—in the populous parish of Kensington. This parish extends
from the Brompton Road, the Boltons and Earl’s Court southward, where it
joins the parishes of Chelsea and Fulham, to Upper Westbourne Park and
Kensal, beyond Notting Hill, north, where it abuts upon Paddington, and
from Hyde Park and Bayswater, east, to Shepherd’s Bush and Hammersmith,
west. It covers an area of 2200 acres, and has fifty miles of main
streets or carriage-ways within the bounds. The population, according to
the late census, is 121,100 souls.
It will thus be seen that we have been treating in these pages the
spiritual provision made for a population greater than that of many a
large town or city in the kingdom. We were first attracted to
Kensington, a former “suburban village,” not only because of its
importance as a representative Metropolitan parish, but as forming the
centre of the Western suburbs, and on account of the rapidity with which
church-building has gone on there of late years. We now present the
first part of our task completed, and in the “Index” with the “Notes”
will be found all that it is requisite to know about these churches.
There is other church matter included at the end which may add to the
interest of the whole. Also, a goodly number of engravings and
photographs of principal church buildings, additions which will
contribute greatly to the interest and value of the book in the Christian
household or in professional hands.
The author’s thanks are due, and are hereby warmly and respectfully
presented, to those clergy and other gentlemen of all denominations who
have freely opened to him original and reliable sources of information.
He is thus enabled to present the work freer from all sorts of
inaccuracies than would probably otherwise be the case. He has, also,
gratefully to acknowledge valuable aid from Mr. J. P. Churcher,
Architect, of Kensington, who has kindly given the advantage of his
professional knowledge in regard to a considerable number of the churches
herein described.
The work is now commended to the considerate attention of the public;
trusting that the effort may be accepted as some contribution in
illustration of Metropolitan churches and church enterprise, treated upon
a thoroughly Catholic basis.
There are not wanting signs of a general growing interest in such
subjects. Even the political discussions of the last few years—bearing
largely upon the state of the Church—have had, at least, the effect of
concentrating public attention upon its fortunes, and of awakening a
large amount of sympathy with its varied labours. Let us hope that this
will tend to the happy result of securing a permanent practical regard in
the public mind for every thing connected with the progress of
Christianity in our midst; and if in some humble degree this great object
is advanced by the contents of the following pages it will be esteemed an
abundant reward and cause of much thankfulness by