Church of St Mildred, Addiscombe

Church of St Mildred, Addiscombe

A church designed by Cecil Hare and constructed in phases between 1932 and 1937, with a further addition of 1959, an extension of 2006 (designed by Armstrong Burton), and 2020 alterations. The building is constructed of red brick laid in English bond with stone dressings, topped by a gabled and hipped roof with tile covering.

The church is planned with a nave of five bays featuring ambulatory walkways to either side that cut through internal buttresses, a chancel, an eastern chapel, and four porch entrances positioned at the corners of the nave. A low tower rises above the high altar.

The exterior is characterised by a projecting plinth with an ashlar offset cap that surrounds the entire building, with a flush band at window-sill level running along both the nave and eastern chapel. Both flanks of the nave contain five bays of two-light windows with alternating patterns to their traceried heads, featuring either quatrefoils or mouchettes. These windows have stone quoins that extend down the walls beyond the window surrounds to meet the plinth. Offset buttresses flank each side of the nave, beyond which project the four porch entrances, each with double doors and shallow gables. Behind these porches rise square turrets with hipped roofs, topped with two-light louvred openings for ventilation.

The western end features a central three-light window with offsets to the stone mullions and mouchettes to the traceried head. The 2006 extension overlaps the lower portion of this front elevation and the western porch entrances, though the former external walling remains visible on the interior of the extension. The western doorway has an accentuated Gibbs surround with triple keystone, flanked by lobby and vestry windows, with a central C21 portal.

The eastern end comprises the chancel, marked externally by the tower. The tower's lower stages contain projecting ambulatory passages to north and south, above which are tall three-light windows lighting the crossing, with offsets to their mullions. Above these are circles of brick indicating positions for intended clock dials, with three louvred rectangular openings on each side above them. Each face of the tower is topped with a crenelated stone parapet. The eastern chapel is flush with the tower flanks and has a single external bay to each side with two-light windows featuring mouchette heads as seen in the nave. The east end displays a central rose window flanked by offset buttresses with gablet caps at the corners. Horizontal runs of quoins with gablet caps flank either side of the window and descend the wall. A cross marks the gable apex.

Interior

The nave flooring comprises stone flags and woodblocks. The ambulatory passages cutting through the internal square buttresses have moulded arch heads. Each of the four corner porch lobbies contains two sets of half-glazed doors, except the south-eastern lobby which has been adapted for storage. A barrel vault springs from the same level as the arches of the lateral bays between buttresses. The piers terminating the painted brick buttresses are faced with ashlar towards the nave. The ambulatory passages continue along either side of the chancel and lead to the eastern chapel.

The 1959 Mander organ stands on a gallery at the west end, featuring a copper-pipe screen positioned either side of the stained-glass window. A bronze balustrade with curved handrail is supported by slender piers with capitals bearing shields inscribed with the initials M for Margaret and Mildred, and the dates 659 and 1959 marking their birth and a royal visit. The gallery underside has a ribbed ceiling with star-patterned lights. A wrought-metal screen filling the upper part of the chancel arch, also introduced in 1959, includes a figure of Christ flanked by the Two Marys, with stars to the background. An original innovation was a film or lantern-slide screen lowered from the chancel arch to display images or films to the congregation during sermons. Both this screen and its winding mechanism remain in situ.

The Lady Chapel at the east end features a barrel-vaulted ceiling with blank arches and stone surrounds to the side walls, and a plain round-headed arch to the centre of the eastern wall.

The font of veined red marble, brought from the old church in Bingham Road, bears an inscription reading "TO THE GLORY / OF GOD AND / FOR THE USE / OF ST MILDRED'S / CHURCH. THIS FONT WAS GIVEN BY / MARGARET LANGFORD. JULY. 1922." The church contains a series of foundation stones brought from the Corona at Canterbury Cathedral, the former Abbey at Minster in Thanet, the former church in Bingham Road, Croydon Parish Church, St Mildred's Addiscombe, and Addington Palace.

The pulpit and tester were designed and made in the 1930s. The pulpit stands on the stone bowl of an earlier font, apparently brought from Addington Church, and features two oak panels carved by H.D. Canning Wright.

The reredos has a central niche with ribbed decoration and a central cross, flanked by panels showing the instruments of the crucifixion. Above is a wooden pelmet bearing further symbols. The concave side walls of the reredos have finials bearing coats of arms with angels to the centre. The carved altar frontal also displays symbols of the Passion.

Stained glass by Burlison and Grylls includes the east window, lower side windows in the chancel, and the western window, which may be signed with the initials of Harry Grylls.

Both the architect and the first vicar are commemorated by inscriptions in the stone piers of the north aisle. The architect's reads: "+ IN MEMORIAM + / CECIL GREENWOOD HARE / 1875 - 1932 / ARCHITECT OF THIS CHURCH", whilst the vicar's reads: "IN MEMORIAM / CHARLES W BUDDEN / MA MD / FIRST VICAR OF THIS CHURCH / ST MILDRED'S IS HIS MEMORIAL".