Ninth Church of Christ Scientist

Ninth Church of Christ Scientist, Marsham Street, London

A Christian Science Church and Sunday School Chapel built between 1926 and 1930 by Sir Herbert Baker. The building is constructed of red brick with Lombardic tile roofs and follows an 'L'-shaped plan containing three main elements: to the east an entrance hall with apsidal ends, behind which sits a circular auditorium measuring 100 feet in diameter; to the north of the entrance hall, an apsidal-ended Sunday School. The structure comprises two storeys plus a semi-basement, with irregular fenestration throughout and is executed in a modified Byzantine style.

The main facade on Marsham Street features an asymmetrically-placed entrance bay with a triple-arched entrance on piers. Above this rises a recessed brick panel inscribed 'Ninth Church of Christ Scientist London' in moulded and rubbed brick letters. At second-floor level stands a tall round-headed window, with an octagonal drum rising above it topped by a pyramidal roof. This bay is flanked to the right by two bays featuring oculi on the left and flat-arched windows on the right, and to the left by a bay of oculi followed by seven round-arched windows of the Sunday School aisle with clerestory windows above. The Tufton Street facade displays two round-arched entrances in end bays and shallow brick arcading at first-floor level with three central traceried windows and a traceried window in each end bay, all topped by a brick and stone balustrade.

The interior demonstrates exceptional quality of materials and workmanship throughout. The dramatic double-height entrance hall is lined with handmade bricks, apsed at either end, and features a central saucer dome inscribed around its rim. Triple entrance doors have moulded stone architraves with a cast-iron balcony above. A stone dado forms bench seating, and round-arched doorways to left and right with moulded stone architraves are approached by steps, leading to panelled oak double doors with fanlights. The right-hand door is surmounted by a cast-iron balcony. Centrally opposite the entrance, an imposing Portland stone staircase rises to a balustraded landing from which vaulted passages lead to the auditorium. At the foot of the staircase, a pair of curved staircases descend to a basement ambulatory with extensive purpose-built cloakroom facilities.

The circular auditorium seats 1,000 people on steeply raked oak pews facing the dias, which is furnished with two fitted oak reading desks and thrones. Beneath a continuous colonnade of twinned grey marble Tuscan columns flanking traceried windows, the hall is lined with light oak panelling. A saucer-domed ceiling features a circular traceried light and an inscription band designed and gilded by Laurence Turner. Fretwork organ cases and screens to windows are positioned behind the dias. Located in spaces behind the auditorium are ancillary rooms, some circular, for board meetings, committees, and vestries on two floors.

The Sunday School forms a tall aisled hall with an apsidal north end, lit by round-arched windows and round-arched clerestory windows in the barrel-vaulted ceiling. The walls are of handmade brick with arcading in Portland stone Tuscan columns. Beneath the Sunday School lies a plain semi-basement hall.

Throughout the building original light fittings survive, with those in the main spaces being bronze pendant up-lighters.

This church represents a fine, complete, and virtually unaltered example of an early 20th-century Christian Science church in which the architect solved the challenge of an awkward site through inspired and imaginative use of a series of handsome interior spaces executed with high-quality materials and craftsmanship.