St Matthew's, Bayswater

Church in London, England

St Matthew's, Bayswater


Location	St. Petersburgh Place, Bayswater, London, W2 4LA
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
History
Status	Active
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Grade II* listed
Clergy
Vicar(s)	The Revd Will Coleridge
Laity
Director of music	Max Pappenheim
Churchwarden(s)	Michael Jeans and Linda Dennis

St Matthew's is a Church of England parish church, located in St. Petersburgh Place, Bayswater, London, near the New West End Synagogue and Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia. It is a Grade II* listed building, executed in the Victorian Gothic revival style.^[1]

History

The church was built in 1880, by London-born architect John Johnson (1843 – 1919). Some of the stained glass is probably by Morris & Co.^[1] The organ is by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd.^[2] The church, in Victorian Gothic Revival style, was funded by John Derby Allcroft of Stokesay Court in Shropshire, one of several London churches he financed. It was completed in 1882, replacing the earlier Bayswater Chapel constructed in 1818. A large congregation flocked to hear the incumbent, Archdeacon James Hunter, who had recently returned from missionary work with the Cree of Canada.

Present day

The parish continues to use the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) at most of its services, rather than the modern Common Worship.^[3]

Notable people

Rennie MacInnes, Bishop of Jerusalem, was a curate from 1896 to 1899.
Sidney Nowell Rostron, formerly Principal of St John's College, Durham, was vicar from 1922 to 1933.
Hugh Gough, subsequently Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia, was vicar from 1939 to 1946.^[4]
Edward John Bolus was a deacon in 1926.
Composer Felix Swinstead was organist during World War 2 and wrote a Te Deum for the church choir in 1941.^[5]

Gallery

East face: spire and its tower, viewed aslant in Autumn sunlight
In Summer, shaded by foliage of street trees

References

^ ^a ^b Historic England, "Church of St Matthew (1236098)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 26 September 2014
^ "National Pipe Organ Register: St Matthew's, Bayswater". Retrieved 30 May 2022.
^ "St Matthew, Bayswater". A Church Near You. Archbishops' Council. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
^ "Crockford's Clerical Directory: The Rt Revd Hugh Rowlands Gough". Retrieved 30 May 2022.
^ Barbara Wilkins. Felix Swinstead at Home (2003)