Description

TQ 2975 CLAPHAM PARK ROAD
(South West side)
963/16/234
Roman Catholic Church of St
Mary (Church of the
08.02.79 Redemptionist Fathers)

GV II*

Church 1849-51 by William Wardell, with fittings by J.F. Bentley from 1866; Lady Chapel, 1883-6 by J. F. Bentley, South (ritual north) Transept, 1892-4 by J.F. Bentley, St Gerard Majella Chapel 1910 by Osmund Bentley, extended as north (ritual south) aisle, 1926 by Bernard Cox. Ragstone with freestone dressings, slate roofs. Nave, sanctuary, double north aisle, south aisle S.E. tower, south transept, Lady Chapel. Church is aligned east- west with ritual east end to west. South east tower in three stages with broached steeple, attached to south aisle. Tall angle buttresses with dressed stone offsets. South entrance under canopy with crocketted finials, bearing panel with figure of Christ, and leading to rib-vaulted porch, single lights to stair above. On each face, 2-light ringing chamber openings, small belfry lights under plain canopy, similar smaller light above. Tip of spire repaired. South face, two bay paired clerestorey lights, above three bay Lady Chapel. Three bay south {ritual north) transept, with two four-light south windows. East {ritual west) front: tall narrow buttressed nave. Central entrance under cusped ogee arch, above, canopied porch with crocketted finials and seated figure in niche. Gable end cross. North and south aisles, each with single three- light window, extended to north under flat roof. To south cusped mouchette tracery, to north cusped intersecting tracery, matching northernmost window in two bay extension to north aisle. Canopies containing sculpted figures to left and right. North and west faces not visible.
Interior: six -bay arcade of quatrefoil piers, figure stops to outer order of arch mouldings. Similar chancel arch. Paired clerestorey lights under moulded arches with figure stops, continuous moulded band below. Trussed nave and aisle roofs on stone figure corbels. Carved spandrels. Chancel roof tierceron vaulted with foliate bosses. Six-light { ritual) east window with curvilinear cusped intersecting tracery. Four- bay sedilia under rich ogee arcade. Reredos in nine panels under crocketted canopie. Gilded table on annulated legs. Against chancel arch, to right pulpit, with tester; to left, font under niche bearing figure of Our Lady. Painting over chancel arch, Last Judgement, a copy, 1926, by J. Linthout of that by J. Settegast of Koblenz, 1854. South {ritual north) transept, 1892-3 by J.F. Bentley built to link church to newly built monastery. Four -bay arcade. Iron grille with foliate upper panels and pierced cresting. Small chapel with altar with carved and gilded reredos, carrying figure of Christ under canopy, flanking carved scenes; vaulted roof, the ribs picked out, frieze of crowned angels. Two -light window to left. Former baptistry at south end, also behind fine iron screen. Carved stone south doorway with flamboyant finial. Pair of panelled oak doors with upper leaded lights under ogee heads. Pair of similar doors to monastery. Onion shaped pierced gilded metal light fittings { Bentley's light fittings for the nave said to be stored at the church.) Stained glass also by J.F. Bentley. Lady Chapel, 1883-6, by J.F. Bentley, windows repaired after war damage by Veronica Whall. Elaborate gilded wrought iron grille. Every surface richly ornamented: painted or stencilled walls ceilings and windows. Marble altar, with painted panel below, and richly gilded and painted reredos. Tiled floor. Silver hanging lamp. North {ritual south) aisle. Former chapel, now organ chamber. Pair of panelled oak doors under single flat moulded stone hood. Chapel of St Gerard Majella, 1910 by Osmund Bentley: rib vaulted ceiling with foliate bosses. Tiled floor individual tiles inscribed G and M. Reredos with tall central panel and figures beneath canopy, flanking angels. Four-light window depicting life of St Gerard Majella. Aisle extension, 1926 by Bernard Cox: heavy bossed ceiling with angel corbels.
Cherry and Pevsner, Buildings of England, London 2: South, 1983, p.381-2
J.F. Bentley, The Victorian Society and Westminster Cathedral, catalogue of an exhibition of the works of J.F. Bentley, 1976.

Listing NGR: TQ2949075270

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Mary's Roman Catholic Church at Wikipedia
• St Mary's Roman Catholic Church official website
• Wikidata Q7594521

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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