All Saints' Church, Petersham, London facts for kids
Quick facts for kids former All Saints' Church, Petersham |
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| 51°26′37″N 0°18′00″W / 51.4436°N 0.3001°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ 183 730 |
| Location | Bute Avenue, Petersham, Richmond TW10 7AX (London Borough of Richmond upon Thames) |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | ceased to be used as a church in 1986 |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Founder(s) | Rachael Laetitia Ward |
| Dedicated | 1909 |
| Consecrated | never consecrated |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | now a private residence |
| Architect(s) | John Kelly |
| Architectural type | Romanesque Revival |
| Completed | 1909 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Southwark |
All Saints' Church, Petersham is a building in Petersham, London, which used to be a church. It is located on Bute Avenue in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. This building is considered a Grade II listed site, meaning it's important for its history or architecture. Today, it is no longer a church and is used as a private home.
History of All Saints' Church
This church was designed by an architect named John Kelly from Leeds. The idea for the church came from Rachel Laetitia Warde in 1899. She wanted to build it because she thought Petersham would grow a lot. She also wanted it to be a memorial to her father, Samuel Walker, who had passed away.
Rachel Warde also asked for a church hall to be built next to it. This hall was a memorial to her aunt, Ellen. You can still see an inscription above the hall's entrance that says "AD 1900. Ellen Walker Thy Kingdom Come. Memorial Church Room".
Sadly, Mrs. Warde died before the church was finished. Her son, Lionel, completed the project. The first stone of the church was laid in November 1901. The church was officially opened by the Bishop of Kingston, Cecil Hook, in April 1909.
Both the church and its hall were built on the land where Bute House once stood. This house used to be the home of a British Prime Minister, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute. The house was taken down in 1908.
The church was never officially "consecrated" (made sacred) because the town's population didn't grow as much as expected. However, it was still used sometimes by the local parish and even by the Greek Orthodox Church. People continued to have weddings there until 1981. The building stopped being used as a church in 1986.
During the Second World War, the church was used by the military. It became a command post for radar and anti-aircraft defenses. After the war, it was also used as a recording studio and a place for filming movies.
A famous singer, Luciano Pavarotti, recorded his popular O Holy Night album there in 1976. Other artists, like Vladimir Ashkenazy and Christopher Hogwood, also made recordings in the church.
Around 1996, the Anglican Diocese of Southwark sold the church building. It is now a private house called All Saints House. It has even been changed to include an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, and steam room. The church hall was used as Petersham's village hall until the early 2000s.
Architecture and Design
The church was built using red brick and terracotta. Its design looks like an old Roman basilica. It has a tall bell tower, called a campanile, which is 118 feet high. On top of the tower, there is a pyramid-shaped roof with a statue of Christ looking over Richmond Park.
Experts Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner described the church's style as "emphatically Italian Early Christian or Romanesque." They said the inside was "lavish" (very fancy) and the baptistery (where baptisms happen) was "quite exceptional." The main part of the church, called the nave, had a central aisle made of grey and white marble. This marble came from Tournai Cathedral in Belgium.
On the north side of the church, there was an octagonal (eight-sided) baptistery. It even had a tank for full-body baptisms. The altar, which is the table used for religious ceremonies, was raised high above the floor. It had a tall screen behind it, called a reredos, and a large cross, or rood.
Images for kids
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The church hall, used until the early 21st century as Petersham's village hall
