St Thomas the Apostle, Hanwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas the Apostle |
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The east face.
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| 51°30′04″N 0°19′49″W / 51.5012°N 0.3303°W | |
| Location | St Thomas the Apostle Parish Office, 182 Boston Road Hanwell London W7 2AD |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | Foundation stone was laid on 8 July 1933 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Edward Maufe |
| Style | Gothic/Art Deco |
| Years built | July 1934 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
St Thomas the Apostle is a Church of England church located on Boston Road in Hanwell, a part of London Borough of Ealing. It was designed by the famous architect Sir Edward Maufe. This church is part of the Diocese of London and can welcome up to 428 people. It's considered a very important building, listed as Grade II* by English Heritage. This means it's a special historic building that needs to be protected.
Contents
The Story of St Thomas Church
Hanwell used to be a small village. It started to grow bigger when the Great Western Railway arrived in the 1850s. More people moved to the area, especially near Uxbridge Road.
Why a New Church Was Needed
As more families came to live in Hanwell, there was a need for more churches. A new church area, called a parish, was created in 1908. It was named St Mellitus. Later, in 1906, a new tram line opened along Boston Road. This made the southern part of Hanwell even more popular, and many more people moved there.
The old St Thomas church was a small, temporary building made of iron. It could only hold about 300 people. To build a bigger, permanent church, money was raised by selling the land of another St Thomas church in central London.
Building the New Church
The first stone for the new St Thomas the Apostle church was laid on July 8, 1933. The church officially opened its doors the following year, in 1934.
St Thomas Church Today
Today, St Thomas the Apostle is part of the Church of England's Diocese of London. For a while, the church had a special arrangement because it didn't agree with women becoming priests. However, in 2011, the church changed its mind. Now, it welcomes women priests and is overseen by the local bishop, just like most other churches in the area.
How the Church Was Designed
The architect for St Thomas the Apostle was Sir Edward Brantwood Maufe. He designed the church with simple, clean lines.
Outside the Church
The church building faces northeast. It has a tall, square bell tower on the north side with a green copper roof. The outside walls are made of brown-silver-grey bricks, which are thought to have come from Tondu in Wales.
You can see a special carving of the Calvary (Jesus on the cross) on the northeast side. This carving was made by the famous artist Eric Gill. He carved it right there on the church wall from a single block of limestone. Near the main entrance, there's another carved stone, called a keystone, made by Vernon Hill.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church looks very different from the outside. Instead of straight lines, it has smooth, curved columns that reach up to a high, fan-shaped ceiling.
If you stand at the back of the church, you'll notice that the bell tower is placed to one side. This clever design choice by Maufe keeps the ceiling at one level, making the inside feel very open and spacious. The ceilings are made from reinforced concrete. This was a new building method at the time. Maufe even used this church to test out the technique before using it for his bigger project, the Guildford Cathedral.
Special Features Inside
- The Font: At the back of the church, there's a stone font where baptisms take place. It's shaped like an octagon and was also made by Vernon Hill. It has a simple design with a carved fish wrapped around an anchor. The Greek word "ΙΧΘΥΣ" (Ichthys), which means "fish" and was an early Christian symbol, is carved vertically on the side.
- Windows: The large window at the back of the church has a special design in its lead work. It forms the Labarum symbol, which looks like the Greek letters Chi (χ) and Rho (ρ) combined. This symbol was used by early Christians.
- Light and Shadow: The church has clear, handmade glass windows. Maufe chose not to use factory-made glass, showing the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement. The way light enters the church creates interesting patterns of light and shadow. As you walk along the side aisles, the light changes, making the windows at the far end look like bright stars. This clever use of light makes the church feel grand, like much older cathedrals, but with a modern, Art Deco style.
Symbols of St Thomas
The symbol for St Thomas the Apostle is a fan of three spears with a builder's square. This symbol is repeated throughout the church:
- In the tall, narrow windows.
- In the oval-shaped windows above the porch.
- On the iron gates on either side of the east wall.
- On the cast iron drainpipes outside the building.
Images for kids
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The reredos at the east end. Removed from St Thomas's , Portman Square made to the design of Cecil Greenwood Hare, Bodley's last partner and successor to his practice.
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Sir Edward Brantwood Maufe's stone seal at the base of the tower.
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The keystone carving of a dove over the north door is by Vernon Hill.
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The north east corner with the Church Hall on the right.
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The Calvary which forms the east window by the British sculptor Eric Gill.
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Drain pipe header. Between the letters St. and T is a square to symbolise the apostle as a 'builder.'
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The Morning Chapel (now often called the Lady Chapel) ceiling was painted by Kathleen Roberts. The Madonna and child is in Caen stone carved by Vernon Hill and the sanctuary carpet and altar posts were designed by Edward Maufe.
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Northern aisle looking east towards the Lady Chapel.
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Looking eastwards from the creche. Note how the obverse of the Gill Calvary forms the tracery of the east window.
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The western end
