Church Of St Benet Fink

TQ 3290 WALPOLE ROAD (west side)

800-/16/10013 Church of St Benet Fink

GV II

Church, 1911-12 by J S Alder. Red brick with stone arcade and dressings, slate roof Truncated cruciform plan, the eastern two bays of the five-bay nave treated as vestigial transepts with cross gables. Narthex, two-bay chancel and single-bay sanctuary. The nave with aisles, these continue to the (liturgical) north as organ chamber, with vestry and boiler room behind, and to the south as the two-bay chapel of St Luke. Late Decorated-style tracery, with chiefly three-light windows to chapel and four-lights to nave; large five-light east window and broad three-light west window. Corner entrances to narthex, that to Walpole Road under spire with pyramidal top. Five-bay stone nave arcade in C14 style, with high barrell rooflined with oak boarding. Narthex baptistery with font in central of three arched openings. Original pews, lectern and pulpit. Quarry-light glazing with shield medallions containing symbols of the saints. Stations of the cross added in 1972. Chancel, up two steps and with low stone walls, with choirstalls, separated from St Luke's chapel by war-memorial screen. Altar with reredos, the figures added sympathetically c.1950. The most important feature is the organ brought from the church of St Peter-le-Poer, City of London and demolished in 1908. The organ is late C18 by Green, modified by Willis. St Benet Fink was built with money from the demolition ofthe church of St Peter-le-Poer, which had absorbed the medieval City parish of St Benet Fink when that church was demolished in 1844. This is said to be Alder's most complete and least-altered church.

Listing NGR: TQ3231590446