Church Of St Mary Magdalene

Church of St Mary Magdalene

A church built between 1849 and 1852 by RC Carpenter for Rev Edward Stuart, with significant alterations and extensions throughout its history. The building stands as a major example of mid-19th-century ecclesiastical architecture and was recognized at its consecration in 1852 as "the most artistically correct new church yet consecrated in London" by the Ecclesiologist.

The church is constructed of snecked Kentish ragstone with Bath stone dressings, under tiled pitched roofs with ornamental ridge tiles. It was designed in the Decorated Gothic style and demonstrates the influence of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, both in its plan and its wholly English architectural character. The design itself was based on the Austin Friars Church in the City.

The exterior consists of a large sanctuary, a six-bay nave with two aisles of nearly equal widths and height under separate roofs, with no clerestory. The incomplete south-west tower is complemented by a north-west facade featuring an octagonal bell turret terminating in gabled louvres beneath a conical roof with finial. A gabled entrance porch at the north-west corner displays a hoodmould and ballflower decoration to the pointed arch moulding, with cast and wrought-iron gates of scrolled decoration. In the porch gable is a relief cross added in 1921 with quatrefoil enrichment on a patterned background. The aisles are buttressed between traceried windows. The east end contains a seven-light window with reticulated tracery and wheel, while the west end displays a six-light window with quatrefoils and a quatrefoil rose window.

Alterations were made in 1866-7 by Slater and Carpenter, while the north aisle and crypt were added in 1883-4 by RH Carpenter and B Ingelow.

The interior features an arch-braced collar-truss roof of Baltic fir with cross windbraces. Pointed aisle arcades rest on piers of four clustered columns, with a moulded chancel arch on clustered columns. The white plastered walls surround a nave floored in red tiles from the outset, always furnished with movable free seating. The arcaded chancel features shafts and spandrels of St Ann's marble, while the sedilia and roof were coloured by Messrs Crace. The piscina dates from 1895 and was designed by Norman Shaw, made by Farmer and Brindley. When the chancel was raised in 1866 by Slater and Carpenter, it was floored in encaustic tiles and frescoes were added in 1867 by Bell, Redfern and Almond. A memorial to Edward Stuart stands on the lowest step. The high altar was lengthened in 1912 by MCC Durston. A crucifix from 1884 was moved to the south aisle. The reredos dates from 1929 by Sir Charles Nicholson, who also designed the clergy and choir stalls (the latter moved to the back of the nave in 1971). The church was reordered in 1990. The rood-beam from 1903 and screens from 1906 are by JT Micklethwaite and Somers Clarke. The south or calvary chapel contains an altar and communion rails by Nicholson. The north or Blessed Sacrament chapel houses an altar from Christ Church Albany Street, with Spanish lamps donated in 1895. The font was restored in 1886 with a cover from 1930 by Nicholson. An attractive settle dated 1929 is located in the children's corner.

The stained glass collection is exceptionally significant. The east window is of special interest as one of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin's last designs, made by Hardman. One chancel window is the only other surviving Hardman glass in the church. In the south aisle from the east: an east window by Charles Nicholson from 1931-2 made by Scharlieb (replacing an earlier Hardman window); two memorial windows to Sir Edward Hall Anderson from 1857 by Clayton and Bell made under the supervision of William Butterfield; a Nativity window from 1862 by Lavers and Barraud; and a west aisle window from 1884 by Clayton and Bell. In the north aisle from the east: an east window and one adjacent by Clayton and Bell showing the Last Supper from 1891; two windows from 1884 by Heaton, Butler and Bayne; a memorial to George J Palmer dated 1892 by Heaton, Butler and Bayne; and a west aisle window from 1891 by Clayton and Bell. A west nave window by AA Orr replaced a memorial window to RC Carpenter from 1857 designed by John Clayton and made by Hardman, which was destroyed in the Second World War. A painting on the south aisle wall over a former schools entrance is by Clayton and Bell. The Stations of the Cross were given in 1895. Windows in the north aisle of the crypt were filled in 1975 with delightful stained glass from St Augustine's Haggerston, dating from 1930-2 and designed by Margaret Rope.

The church was established as a leading centre of Tracterian worship from its foundation. Norman Shaw worshipped here for 42 years and described it as "the beau ideal of a town church".