Photographs by John Salmon, as a supplement to Ingrid Brown's architectural study of the church. Captions and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee. The photographs may be used without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. [Click on all the pictures for larger images.]
Nave and Aisles
St Matthias, on Friars Stile Road, Richmond, was designed by George Gilbert Scott, and consecrated in 1858; the tower and spire were completed in 1862. The building itself was generally well-received at the time, but its interior was considered rather too austere (see Brown). This, however, has been completely remedied over the years.
Left to right: (a) Looking into the north aisle. The war memorial plaque can be seen between the two windows. (b) The pulpit, which was designed by Cecil Hare (1875-1932), who had been G. F. Bodley's chief assistant, and who had taken over the practice after Bodley's death. It was added during the period when Hare was working on the church, in 1916-18 (see "St Matthias"). (c) Looking into the south aisle.
Chancel and Sanctuary
The chancel, giving a closer view of the oak chancel-screen designed by Arthur Blomfield in 1897, and the painted chancel roof of 1908-09. The roof had originally been open, but it was boarded and decorated by Hare. It has since been restored, with "additional gilding" (see "St Matthias").
Left: The choir and sanctuary. Note the geometric black-and-white tiling: this was laid in 1908-09 under the direction of Hare and uses Tinos and Pentelikon marbles (see "St Matthias"). Right: The sanctuary, with the carved and gilded high altar, also by Hare.
Fittings
Left to right: (a) The bishop's throne. (b) Close-up of the high altar. (c) The organ, its oak case designed by Arthur Blomfield in 1899. (d) Beautiful oak panelling and openwork at the front of the north aisle.
All Saints' Chapel
Left: All Saints' Chapel. Right: The painted roof of the chapel.
Stone-carving and Ironwork
Three quite different and characterful label-stops, all saints with halos.
Left to right: (a) The cross on the high altar. (b) One of the candle-holders on the altar. (c) and (d) Ironwork on doors.
The Rev. Charles Tickell Proctor, Vicar of Richmond with St Matthias, Surrey, in the Diocese of Winchester 1867-1900, from a photograph hanging inside the church.
Related Material
- St. Matthias' Church, Gallery I: Exterior
- Ingrid Brown on "St. Matthias' Church and the Medievalism of Sir George Gilbert Scott"
- Arthur Blomfield's chancel screen
- Windows in the church by William Wailes
- Windows in the church by John Hardman
- Windows in the church by Burlison & Grylls
- A window in the church by Lavers & Barraud
Bibliography
Nairn, Ian, and Nikolaus Pevsner. Surrey (The Buildings of England). 2nd ed. rev. Bridget Cherry. London: Penguin, 1981.
Scott, Sir George Gilbert, R.A. Personal and Professional Recollections, edited by his son, G. Gilbert Scott, F.S.A. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1889. Internet Archive. Contributed by the University of California Libraries. Web. 5 November 2016.
"St Matthias, Richmond, Diocese of Southwark." The Ecclesiological Society. Web. 5 November 2016.
Stamp, Gavin. Gothic for the Steam Age: An Illustrated Biography of George Gilbert Scott. London: Aurum Press, 2015.
Created 4 November 2016