Church Of St Alfege

The Church of St Alfege is a cruciform church of the 18th century, built between 1711 and 1714 by Nicholas Hawksmoor, and is one of the “Fifty New Churches” initiated by the Act of 1711. The masons were Edward Strong and Edward Tufnell, who had previously worked for Christopher Wren on St Paul's Cathedral. The steeple was constructed in 1730 by John James, but was rebuilt in 1813. The church is constructed of Portland stone ashlar and features a Doric entablature running around the entire building, supported by pilasters which define the bays. It has a moderately low-pitched roof now covered in copper. A pediment is located at the East end, with urn finials on either side, above a high, round arch. The centre of the East end is recessed, creating a distyle portico with steps, but lacking an entrance. Wide, segment-headed windows are supported by a modified entablature with two pilasters rising to an archivolt. Flat pilasters define the back wall of the portico, and flanking windows are round arched. Lower, flat-arched windows are situated beneath. Along the sides, round headed first-floor windows are found within round arches, with aprons featuring guttae below. The square ground-floor windows are set in square recesses. At the transept ends, three round arched doors are present with plain architraves and impost blocks, leading to a paved terrace that extends to gabled crypt entrances. Three nave windows are positioned on either side of the transepts. The square west tower has four stages. The ground floor is blank with shallow niches and projecting angle pilasters. The lower second stage has an oculus with a single keystone and low, round angle buttresses. The taller, Ionic third stage has paired angle pilasters. Above this is an octagonal stage with clock faces and urns at the angles. A tall, Corinthian drum, including an oculus above a round arch in each of the eight faces, supports a dome with a stone spike and ball finial. The west entrance to the tower has a shouldered architrave, a triple keystone with alternating block sides, a cornice, and a pediment. Flanking round-headed windows, set in round arched recesses with Gibbs surrounds, are also present. The interior was largely remodelled after wartime damage. The west organ gallery and side galleries have been renewed, as has the ceiling plasterwork with its oval raised border. Original Corinthian columns from the reredos remain. The East wall has been repainted to imitate a coffered apse. Restoration work was undertaken by Albert Richardson in the 1950s. Original staircases remain within the transepts, and a 17th-century baluster font is located at the North-west end.