All Saints' Church, Petersham, London facts for kids
Quick facts for kids former All Saints' Church, Petersham |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| 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 in Bute Avenue, Petersham, used to be a church. It is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. This building is now a private home. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it is important historically.
Contents
History of All Saints' Church
Building the Church
The church was designed by an architect named John Kelly from Leeds. A woman named Rachel Laetitia Warde started the project in 1899. She wanted to build the church because she expected more people to move to Petersham. She also wanted it to be a memorial (something to remember someone by) for her father, Samuel Walker, who had passed away.
Rachel also asked for a church hall and institute to be built. This was a memorial for her aunt Ellen. Above the hall's front door, you can still see the words "AD 1900. Ellen Walker Thy Kingdom Come. Memorial Church Room".
Rachel Warde passed away three years before the church was finished. Her son, Lionel, completed the project. The first stone of the church was placed in November 1901. The Bishop of Kingston, Cecil Hook, officially dedicated the church in April 1909.
Location and Use
The church and its hall were built on the land where Bute House once stood. Bute House was a large home that was torn down in 1908. A famous British Prime Minister, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, used to live there.
The church was never "consecrated." This means it was never officially set apart for holy use. This was because the number of people moving to Petersham did not grow as much as expected. However, the church was still used sometimes by the local parish. It was also used by the Greek Orthodox Church. People continued to have weddings there until 1981. The building stopped being used as a church in 1986.
During World War II and Beyond
During the Second World War, the church was taken over by the government. It was used as a command center for radar and anti-aircraft defenses.
The church also became a popular place for recording music and for filming. In January 1976, the famous singer Luciano Pavarotti recorded his best-selling album O Holy Night there. Other musicians, like Sergei Leiferkus and John McCabe, also made recordings at the church.
Current Status
The Anglican Diocese of Southwark sold the church building around 1996. It is now a private home called All Saints House. It has been changed to include an indoor swimming pool, a jacuzzi, and a steam room.
The church hall was used as Petersham's village hall for many years. It continued to serve the community until the early 2000s.
Architecture of All Saints' Church
The church was built using red brick and terracotta. Its design looks like an old Roman basilica. The campanile (bell tower) is very tall, reaching 118 feet high. It has a pointed roof with a statue of Christ on top. This statue looks out over Richmond Park.
Experts Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner described the church's style as "emphatically Italian Early Christian or Romanesque." They also said the inside was "lavish," meaning very fancy and detailed. The baptistery, a special area for baptisms, was called "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. To the north side, there was an eight-sided baptistery. It even had a tank for full-body baptisms. The altar, where services were held, was raised high above the floor. It had a tall screen behind it, called a reredos, and a large cross, known as a rood.
