St Gabriel's Church, Pimlico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Gabriel's, Pimlico |
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| Parish Church of St Gabriel, Warwick Square | |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Catholic |
| Website | http://www.stgabrielspimlico.com |
| History | |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Dedication | Gabriel the Archangel |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 1958 |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Cundy (junior) |
| Style | Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Gabriel, Warwick Square |
| Deanery | Westminster (St Margaret) |
| Archdeaconry | Charing Cross |
| Episcopal area | Two Cities |
| Diocese | London |
St Gabriel's, Pimlico, is a special church in London. It's a Church of England parish church that follows a style called Anglo-Catholic. This church is located in an area called Pimlico. A famous architect named Thomas Cundy (junior) designed it.
The church was built a long time ago, between 1851 and 1853. It was part of a big building project led by Thomas Cubitt for the Marquess of Westminster. St Gabriel's is also a very important building, known as a Grade II* Listed Building. This means it's protected because of its history and beauty.
History of St Gabriel's
The construction of St Gabriel's Church took place from 1851 to 1853. It was designed by Thomas Cundy (junior). During the years 1840 to 1860, Pimlico was growing very quickly. Many new homes were being built there.
The Marquess of Westminster owned a lot of land in the area. He gave £5,000 and the land at the end of Warwick Square for the church. This helped a lot to get the church built. Later, in 1887-1888, a part of the church called the vestry was added by James Piers St Aubyn.
Inside the Church
After the main building work, many improvements were made inside the church. These changes focused on the chancel, which is the area around the altar. Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton helped pay for most of these improvements.
A new main altar was put in. It was designed by John Francis Bentley, who also designed Westminster Cathedral. The entire chancel was then covered with a beautiful white stone called alabaster. It had Italian-style mosaic patterns. The floor is made of red and white marble squares, with solid marble steps leading up to the altar.
One of the most important new features was the East Window. This large window was created by Charles Eamer Kempe. It shows a picture of Christ in Glory with Saints.
Lady Chapel
A special area called the Lady Chapel was added to the south side of the chancel. Some parts of the original altar screen, called the reredos, were moved here. People believe this original reredos was designed by George Gilbert Scott.
