The Ascension, Lavender Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Ascension of The Lord, Lavender Hill
Exterior photo of The Ascension, Lavender Hill
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Website	Parish Website
History
Dedicated	1883
Architecture
Architect(s)	James Brooks
Administration
Parish	Lavender Hill, The Ascension and Battersea, St. Philip with St. Bartholomew
Diocese	The Diocese of Southwark Formerly the Diocese of Rochester

The Ascension of The Lord, Lavender Hill is an Anglican church in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. It is located on Lavender Hill in Battersea, South West London. This church is believed to be the first in England named after The Ascension of The Lord. It was designed by architect James Brooks. Its foundation stone was laid in 1874, and the church was officially opened in 1883.

This church is one of three in its parish. The other two churches are no longer used by the Church of England. St Philip the Apostle, Queenstown Road, is now home to an Ethiopian Orthodox church. St Bartholomew the Less, Wycliffe Road, is now home to a Greek Orthodox church.

It's important not to confuse this church with another one in the same area, in Balham, which is also dedicated to the Ascension of Our Lord.

History of the Church

How the Church Started

The idea for The Ascension, Lavender Hill, mainly came from a priest named Fr John Bourdieu Wilkinson. When he was young, Wilkinson often sat on Clapham Common. From there, he could see the fields of blue lavender that gave Lavender Hill its name. He dreamed that if he ever became a priest, he would build a church on Lavender Hill.

Later, he became a priest and was sent to St Barnabas in Pimlico. At that time, there were "ritual riots" happening. These were protests against certain church practices. These events made Wilkinson want to create an Anglo-Catholic church away from the busy Central London area.

Some wealthy ladies from the Pimlico church helped pay for the new church. These included Lady Anne Antrobus, The Hon Jane Duff-Gordon, and Amelia, Lady Boston. Their generous donations helped buy the land where the church now stands. In 1872, Father Wilkinson and the ladies moved to Lavender Hill. The land was bought thanks to Lady Boston's kindness.

Building the Church

Brooks' original plan for the church, including a tower that was never built

Many people living on the Shaftesbury Estate were railway workers. They had moved from East London to work near Clapham Junction. They wanted the new church to look like the churches they had known in East London. So, a well-known Anglo-Catholic architect named James Brooks was hired. He was known for designing beautiful churches.

The foundation stone was placed on 1 June 1874. It was laid by John Patrick Boyle, Earl of Glasgow. It was placed "under the altar" of a temporary church that was used at the time.

Brooks soon found that the church's foundations were costing too much money. His clients became worried about the unexpected expenses. Because of this, Brooks was removed as the architect. Other architects, J. T. Micklewaite and Somers Clark, finished the church. They followed Brooks' original plans almost completely. However, because of the extra costs, some of Brooks' more detailed designs could not be finished. These included carvings in the nave, a planned tower with a steeple, a belfry, and a fancy carved stone reredos (a screen behind the altar).

Like Brooks' other churches, The Ascension has a strong, simple design. It is built of brick. The roof runs continuously along the entire building. Light enters the nave through windows high up in the walls. There are no windows in the side aisles. The church was officially opened for worship by the Bishop of Bishop of Rochester, Anthony Thorold, on 30 June 1883.

The Fire of 1979

Just before 7 PM on Friday, 13 April 1979, which was Good Friday, a big fire started at the church. The fire quickly spread along the roof. It looked like the whole building might be destroyed. The London Fire Brigade sent firefighters from six different stations. Some firefighters worked all night to save this important building. The priest at the time, Fr John Cuthbert, praised the firefighters. He said that without their help, the damage to the church would have been much worse.

Church Services and Style

The Ascension, Lavender Hill, is an Anglo-Catholic church. This means its style of worship is very similar to Catholic traditions. It is part of a group called Forward in Faith and its priests are from the Society of the Holy Cross.

The church focuses on the Seven Sacraments. These include Confession, where people can confess their sins. Other practices and services include:

• The Reserved Sacrament: Keeping the consecrated bread and wine from the Eucharist.
• The Veneration of Relics: Showing respect for holy objects.
• Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament: A special service honoring the consecrated bread.
• The Rosary: A form of prayer using beads.
• Devotion to Our Lady: Special prayers and respect for Mary, the mother of Jesus.
• Stations of the Cross: A series of prayers remembering Jesus' journey to his crucifixion.

Sunday Mass at The Ascension includes "bells and smells." This means incense is used throughout the service, and bells are rung during the Eucharist (Holy Communion). There are also lay deacons and sub-deacons, and servers. They wear traditional black robes (cassocks) and white outer garments (cottas).

Gallery

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  Statue of The Sacred Heart

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  The Lectern in Ordinary Time

Past Priests