St John the Divine, Richmond | |
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![]() St John the Divine from St John's Road, Richmond | |
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51°27′51″N0°18′01″W / 51.4642°N 0.3003°W | |
Location | Richmond, London |
Country | England |
Denomination | Church of England |
Website | www |
History | |
Founded | 1831 |
Associated people | Vigo Auguste Demant (vicar from 1933 to 1942) |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) | Lewis Vulliamy (original building); Arthur Grove (later additions and church hall) |
Style | Early Gothic Revival |
Completed | 1836 |
Administration | |
Province | Canterbury |
Diocese | Southwark |
Episcopal area | Kingston |
Archdeaconry | Wandsworth |
Deanery | Richmond & Barnes |
Parish | St John the Divine, Richmond |
Clergy | |
Archbishop | Justin Welby |
Bishop(s) | Christopher Chessun |
Vicar(s) | The Reverend Joe Moore |
Archdeacon | The Venerable Bridget Shepherd |
Laity | |
Reader(s) | Ruth Martin |
Organist(s) | Gina Kruger |
Parish administrator | John Palmer |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | Church of St John the Divine |
Designated | 10 January 1950 |
Reference no. | 1194182 |
St John the Divine, Richmond, in the Anglican Diocese of Southwark, is a Grade II listed church [1] on Kew Road, in Richmond, London, near Richmond railway station. Built in 1836, and a parish in its own right since 1838, it was designed by Lewis Vulliamy [2] in the Early Gothic Revival architectural style. [1]
Since 1996 St John the Divine has been part of the Richmond Team Ministry, which also includes the churches of St Mary Magdalene and St Matthias. [3] [4]
Richmond grew rapidly during the 18th and early 19th centuries. [5] By the 1820s, Richmond's original parish church, St Mary Magdalene, was too small., [6] quoted in Brown, Ingrid (10 September 2011). "St.Matthias' Church and the Medievalism of Sir George Gilbert Scott". The Victoria Web. Retrieved 16 April 2015.</ref> Having recognised the need for another chapel, the vestry commissioned new construction by 1831. The new building, St John the Divine, was completed in 1836., [7] quoted in Brown, Ingrid (10 September 2011). "St.Matthias' Church and the Medievalism of Sir George Gilbert Scott". The Victoria Web. Retrieved 16 April 2015.</ref> It was built from 1831 to 1836 on a site provided by local resident and landowner, William Selwyn (1775–1855); the architect was Lewis Vulliamy. Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner criticise Vulliamy's "craziest W spire and senseless flying buttresses from the W porches up to the nave" but describe Grove's east end (added in the early 20th century) as "a fine composition". [2]
In 1838 it became a parish church in its own right. [8]
The organ, built by Beale and Thynne, was dedicated in December 1896. [9] Described as "a virtually unaltered work of Victorian artistry", it has been fully restored. [10]
A chancel, south chapel and vestries were added in 1904–1905; they were designed by Arthur Grove. [2] In 1908, Nathaniel Westlake painted the sanctuary ceiling with illustrations of the Book of Revelation, chapter 14, and created the triptych behind the altar. [2] [9] Westlake also painted the Stations of the Cross, which are now missing; they were replaced between 1955 and 1970 by reliefs in Nabresina stone carved by Freda Skinner. [2] Eric Gill carved the stonework on the triptych and over the sacristy door. [9] [11] The Calvary sculpture on the east end facing St John's Road was carved by Richard Garbe. [12]
The church hall, in brick, was built in 1911. [2]
In 1980–1981 adaptations were made to the church to enable it be used occasionally for concerts and to provide a meeting room, toilet facilities and residential accommodation. [13] The architects were Dry Hastwell Butlin Bicknell, [2] a partnership of David Dry (1934–2011), Vince Hastwell, George Butlin and Roger Bicknell. [14]
The reredos in the Lady Chapel was restored in the early 21st century by Howell and Bellion. [15]
Vigo Auguste Demant (1893–1983), vicar at St John the Divine from 1933 to 1942, became a Canon of St Paul's Cathedral and an Oxford University professor. A regular broadcaster on the BBC's Third Programme in the 1950s, [16] he served on the committee that produced the 1957 Wolfenden report which recommended that "homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should no longer be a criminal offence". [17]
The church's style of worship is described as "modern/liberal Catholic". [18] Eucharist is celebrated at 11.00 am on Sundays and 7:00 pm on Tuesdays. [19]
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