ST. STEPHEN’S, close to the Queen’s-gate-gardens in the Gloucester-road,
South Kensington, is a very handsome and well-proportioned church, and is
a pretty object seen from the Cromwell-road. The composition of its west
front is remarkably good, and indeed there exists an agreeable harmony in
the design and in the quiet general tone of colour in the stone of which
it is built that is pleasing to the eye. There is a refined look about
the building, and perhaps it would not be too much to say that it seems
accustomed to good society. To the architect there are some portions of
the detail rather interesting. The cloistered doorways beneath the
buttresses, the triplet and rose-windows of the east front, and the north
porch and back turret are all worthy of remark. The interior is
exceedingly effective and elegant. Again the harmony strikes one as
perfect; there is a peaceful influence produced by the quiet colouring
and grey columns and excellent proportions of the church, such as ought
to belong to the house of God. There is nothing glaring, nothing
particular to arrest or attract the eye, yet every part is worthy of
inspection, and the parts taken together produce one of the best and most
exquisitely charming interiors with which we are acquainted in this
neighbourhood. The plan of the church may be said to be cruciform, and
is divided into a nave and aisles, north and south transepts, and chancel
and aisles. The grey columns of the nave support the arcades and
clerestory, and the light nave roof springs from angel-corbelled columns.
The chancel arch is well-proportioned, and the dog-tooth enrichments
harmonise with the caps of the columns. The chancel is parted from the
aisles by light screens supported by alabaster columns, and on the north
side above the screen is the organ loft, and the south side is occupied
by a gallery. The chancel itself is simply decorated, the
Communion-table space without any colouring other than of the softest
kind. Three figures of saints occupy the triplet—St. Stephen filling the
centre, and St. John and St. Paul the side lights; the rose window over
has the Saviour in His Ascension scene. The stone pulpit on the north
side of the chancel arch is well designed, and its little alabaster and
coloured marble columns relieve the still colour of the stone. The font,
of similar design, occupies a slight recess in the baptistry, close to
the north porch door. An octagonal vestry is at the south east angle of
the church. A new west gallery is not exactly an improvement to the
effect. The pewing and stall seats are of good design. The passages are
floored with tiles of simple pattern. The architecture is early English.
The one drawback to the external appearance of this church is its want of
relative elevation. Its base appears to drop about two feet below the
level of the roads and ways which form its approaches. The fault was
that of the architect, who did not calculate on the effect of making-up
roads where they had not previously existed. In 1866, when the church
was built, that part of South Kensington was only beginning to open up.
The base of the edifice should, therefore, have been raised. But instead
of this the architect appears to have proceeded in utter disregard of the
near and certain future of the locality. The result is that whereas
originally steps upward were required to enter by the gates, it is now
necessary to descend in reaching the interior; and a flat and depressed
aspect is thus given to a building which would otherwise have been a most
prominent and pleasing object in the view. We understand it is intended
to add a spire to the edifice very shortly, and this will probably
somewhat relieve to the eye the defect of which we have spoken.
The church was built under the ministry of the Rev. J. A. Aston, M.A., to
replace an iron church which for some time he occupied on the opposite
side of the road. The same continued minister until the autumn of 1870,
when he was succeeded by the present officiating minister, the Rev. J. P.
Waldo, M.A. The progress made under Mr. Aston’s pastorate is seen from
the circumstance that it was found necessary in two or three years to
increase the accommodation by the building of galleries on the west and
south sides. This work was completed in March, 1870, at a cost of
600_l._, by Mr. Aldin, of Queen’s-gate-place. The cost of the whole,
when completed, we are told will not be less than 20,000_l._, a very high
figure when it is considered that the church has no more land than that
on which it stands, and the narrow bare paths around it. There are about
1,150 sittings, which let at an average of 2_l._ 2s. per annum each,
leaving about 150 sittings free—1,300 in all, which appear to be well
occupied by a congregation of a superior class. Out of the pew-rents and
collections the clergy and the church are supported. There are temporary
day and Sunday schools attached, situated in the Queen’s-gardens, near
the site, where from one to two hundred children are instructed. The
organ is very ably played by Mr. Lowe. The choir is composed of both
males in plain dress and females.
The prayers were read and also the psalms, with the exception of the
first, which was chanted. There is no variance from the accepted English
and Evangelical mode of conducting worship. The hymn book is the “Church
and Home Metrical Psalter and Hymnal,” selections from various authors.
The congregation did not join with so much zest and animation in the
service as could be desired, except in one hymn—“Lord of the Worlds
above,” &c., the peculiarly lively words and music of which appeared to
evoke devotional feeling and dispel restraint. We are sorry, however, to
see this hymn, which in its original dress, as it stands in another
hymn-book, is one of the finest in the language, so sadly mutilated by
the simple act of transference from one collection to another. We
deplore the liberty which editors of our numerous collections sometimes
take with the productions of even our best hymn-writers. Why should this
be so? We have never seen an alteration of this kind which has not been
for the worse as it regards both thought and expression. The curate
reads well and agreeably to the ear, in a voice more remarkable for
clearness than strength. The vicar, the Rev. Mr. Waldo, is still new to
the audience, having been at St. Stephen’s about four months. His vocal
powers and reading are good; the former have not that compass which
enables them to meet the requirements of the large congregation with the
greatest ease. The sermon, founded on Gen. xlv. 5, was an elegant piece
of composition, not only _read_, but _delivered_ in the reading, which is
not always the case. The thoughts presented on the _general_ and
_special_ providence of God, as unfolded in the history of Joseph, were
those of a devout, thoughtful, and cultivated mind, and most comforting
to the troubled and disconsolate. From what we saw and heard, we have
much pleasure in recording our belief that good Christian work is being
done at St. Stephen’s.