1881 – Church of St. Matthias, Brixton, London

Architect: Newman & Jacques

The site of this church formed part of the Manor of Lambeth and was bought in 1881 from the Trustees of Stockwell Orphanage. The cost of the land was borne by a relative of the minister. Owing to lack of funds a temporary iron church was erected to serve the needs of the locality. This building proved unsatisfactory, the heat in the summer becoming so intense that members of the congregation were sometimes unable to sit through a whole service. The foundation stone of the permanent church was laid on June 2, 1894, by Mrs. Selina Lingham. The architects were John Thomas Newman and William Jacques and the builders Messrs. James Longley and Co. The church provided accommodation for 780 people, and was dedicated in December of the same year; owing to outstanding debts it was not consecrated until March 25, 1899. A Consolidated Chapelry was assigned in the same year. The church stands on a sloping site and is a plain red brick building sparingly dressed with stone; the roofs are tiled. All the windows are lancets and there are lean-to aisles at each side of the clerestoried nave. There is a tall gabled vestry projecting on the south side. The interior, which is also of red brick, has five bays of stone arcading with alternating circular and octagonal piers flanking the nave; the chancel is apsidal, and the altar has a stone canopied reredos with panels at each side inscribed with the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and the Commandments.