ST. GEORGE’S, Campden-hill, the spire of which, in the distance, is so
closely allied to the Kensington Water-tower and that other familiar
object of West London distance, Tower Cressy, that we suppose there are
few who are unacquainted with the rather odd-looking trio. Either of
them taken alone would form a good distance object, but as it sometimes
happens they all three lump together in the landscape, the effect is not
only odd, but certainly striking, the water-tower always looking like the
big brother of the other two. St. George’s, however, must now be taken
alone, and really it deserves to be especially noticed. The church
stands N. and S., the south elevation being worthy of remark for much
excellent and effective detail. The tower and spire, of fair proportion
at the S.E. angle of the building, form an important feature of this
view. The spire is broached and covered with slate in bands, and
relieved with wooden spire lights with iron finials, giving a picturesque
appearance. The tower is without buttresses, and, like all other
portions of this south elevation, is faced with stone in random courses,
with Bath stone quoins and dressings, and clean-cut bands of stone of
warmer colour. It is lighted by deeply-recessed lancet windows, with
columns and foliated caps, and bands on all sides. The staircase within
is clearly marked by raking lines of windows, simple and effective. The
centre of the gable of this elevation is occupied by a large and
boldly-treated window, with geometric rose and four lancet lights, deeply
recessed with label mould, encircling three well-carved heads in relief;
this window is flanked by side two-light windows, partly concealed by the
tile roof of the large cloistered porch. Being the principal entrance to
the church, this roof is supported by dwarf and massive columns, with
carved caps and cusped arcade. The whole forms a picturesque feature in
perspective. The side and north elevations are very plainly treated in
brickwork, with coloured bands or strings continued round the buttresses.
The windows are executed in stone, plain-cut, unsplayed tracery; the
reason for this change in design is evident—these elevations will shortly
be hidden by the houses that are hourly springing up round the church.
The usual stone finials and crosses are replaced by iron of like
character.
The plan of the church is slightly cruciform, and consists of a nave and
aisles, east and west transept, a doubly-recessed apsidal chancel, and
aisles. Large galleries run round nearly three sides of the body of the
church, and at the south end there is a double tier for school-children.
Galleries, as we have often observed before, do not improve the good
effect of a building; however, these galleries have a novel treatment:
the balcony—if such an expression may be used—is suggestive of a
conventional ship’s side with the ports complete. We by no means wish to
convey a false impression by these remarks, for the lines of these
galleries are very graceful, and yet sufficiently angular to be quite in
keeping with the style of the church. The corbelled principals of the
galleries, too, are effectively cut; they take a bearing on the iron
columns of the arcades, from which, in every other respect, they run
clear. We never remember to have seen iron better treated in
church-arcade columns. The detail is sharp and clean, and the columns
are not so slender as to appear unequal to their task of supporting the
brick arches and clerestory, and the light nave and other roofs with
saw-tooth cut and intersecting ribs. Generally the interior effect is
exceeding good, especially the arcade of the east transept. There is
evidence of great originality of thought on the part of the architect,
which we cannot fail to notice and admire, and the colouring is
harmonious and quiet in the corbels, bands, and courses, which are of
stone, nearly all ornamented with flowing Gothic scrolls, painted black
and incised. The font is an excellent example of early work jewelled
with coloured bosses round the circular bowl, with the inscription “One
Lord, one Faith, one Baptism.” It stands near to the southern doors.
The oak pulpit is elevated to suit the galleries, stilted on stone
clustered columns, with foliated caps, and butts upon the chancel west
pier. The oak-eagle lectern is also at the entrance of the chancel, and
is very well executed. The pewing, perhaps the least attractive portion
of the fittings, is, however, well cut, but too dark to our mind. The
organ occupies the west chancel aisle, and is placed over the vestries
and quite undecorated. The chancel windows in the apse are well filled
with stained glass, by Messrs. Lavers and Barraud. In the rose is
represented the Crucifixion; the four lancets, the Evangelists and their
emblems. The passages are paved with plain tiling. Mr. Bassett Keeling,
of Gray’s-inn, was the architect, and we must congratulate him upon
having produced an exceedingly beautiful and original type of church.
The first stone was laid by the Ven. Archdeacon Sinclair, in Feb., 1864,
and by Trinity Sunday in the following year the church was opened for
Divine Service.
This church is situated partly in the Ward of St. Mary Abbotts and partly
in that of St. John’s, Notting-hill, having in both departments a little
over 8,000 inhabitants. It provides 1,400 sittings in all, 413 of which
are free. But these in cases of emergency can be added to by about 150,
provided by a system of _telescopic_ seats, which can be drawn upon
occasions from under the fixed pews, across the main aisles, filling up
the entire area of the church. Six or seven years ago the site of St.
George’s was a cabbage-garden; but a private Christian gentleman
conceived the happy idea of converting it to its present purpose, built
this beautiful edifice at his own cost, and presented it to the district.
The congregation has grown up almost as rapidly as the building itself.
All the sittings not free are let at from 1_l._ 1s. to 2_l._ 2s. per
annum, and the congregation is usually full and of a superior class at
the morning and evening services. The Duke of Argyll and the Earl of
Airlie and families hold sittings, and usually attend here, with other
families and persons of note and character located in and about this
aristocratic neighbourhood. On Sunday morning, the 25th of June, 1871
the church was crowded, a rumour having gone abroad that the Princess
Louise, the daughter-in-law of the Duke of Argyll, was expected to be
present. If this were the cause, however, there must have been
considerable disappointment, as the Princess was certainly not there.
The Vicar, the Rev. George Bennett, who is usually the morning preacher,
preached a useful and discriminating sermon on John xvii. 16, pointing
out in what sense Christ was not of the world, and in what sense his true
people are not of the world. Some seasonable remarks were made about the
temptation under which Christians now lie to succumb to what is called
“public opinion,” until there is danger of their placing the voice of
“society” above the voice of conscience and the word of God. Yet this
was the only standard of right and wrong; whilst the standard set up by
the world was an _unreal_ one, and not sincerely believed even by those
who, from the force of fashion, practised it. The prayers were read by
the Rev. Mr. Becker, and the Litany by the Rev. Mr. Frampton, the
Curates. In this instance there is also a lay reader, Mr. Gordon
Cleather, who, in a surplice, read the lessons well and distinctly. The
Rev. Dr. Davis is the evening preacher, who is known as a clergyman of
distinguished talent. The church has no endowment, and the clergy are
maintained and the expenses met out of the pew-rents and offertories.
There are several religious and benevolent institutions, also, supported
by the congregation or receiving aid from it. In St. George’s Schools
there are boys about 100 and girls the same number, with infants about
130. These received voluntary aid to the amount of 160_l._ in 1870.
There is a District Visiting Society account, for which, including a
_Maternity_, Provident, and Work Society, there was received from various
sources and disbursed the sum of 360_l._ in the year. The offertories,
apart from subscriptions—and from which all objects are aided in
proportion—brought 181_l._ 0s. 6d.; and there are lists of subscribers to
all the funds—as, for instance, to the Church Service Fund, the
offertories for which amounted only to 39_l._ 16s. 9d., but which was
raised by two collections in the year and subscriptions to 108_l._ 11s.
4d. The worship is plain Church of England, barring the intoning of
portions of the prayers. The choir is not surpliced, and the singing,
for the most part, lively, accompanied by a good organ, well played by
Herr Sowerby, Professor. The hymns are “Ancient and Modern,” published
at the Sacred Music Warehouse, Novello and Co., Dean-street. The order
of services are—Sunday: morning at 11, afternoon 3.30, evening at 7;
Wednesdays, Fridays, and holidays. Holy Communion on the first and third
Sunday in the month at 9 A.M., and on the second Sunday after the morning
service.