Click on images to enlarge them. Photographs by the author, who would like to thank Mr. John Boshier, the church's knowledgable and enthusiastic visitors' guide, who explained the building's history and pointed out many of its fascinating details. [You may use these images 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 it in a print one.]
St. Barnabas Church, St. Barnabas Street, Pimlico, London SW1 is a Grade I listed building (NGR: TQ2841378446). (Its associated primary school is a Grade II listed building). Thomas Cundy, architect. Consecratated 1850. St. Barnabas is “the first purpose-built church to embody the principles of the Oxford Movement, a tradition which it continues to maintain” (Diocese of London site). The listing text describes the church as constructed of “ragstone ashlar dressings, slate pitched roof to eaves [in] Early English Gothic style [with a] 5 bay nave, lean-to aisles, clerestory, lower chancel, west and south entrances. [The] 5 stage tower to north west with broach spire and dripping eaves, [has] triple bell louvres, one lucarne to each face.” Left: View down St. Barnabas Street looking toward Pimlico Road. Right: View west along Pimlico Road toward the Orange Pub (apparently the oldest building in the area, this present structure c. 1840). [Click on images to enlarge them.]
Entrance to the church
Left: Doorway leading to entrance courtyard. The church door appears behind. Right: Entrance courtyard. The upper story of the building at right originally served as a dormitory for the young clergymen who worked in the various institutions associated with St. Barnabas, including a school for boys and an orphanage. The vicar lived in the lower story. The entire right-hand structure how houses private flats.
Left: Street doorway leading to courtyard with the entrance to St. Barnabas. Middle: Bronze statue of the Virgin Mary facing the church door. Right: Entrance to the church.
Details adjacent to the entrance: Left: The encaustic tile floor. Right: Carving to the left of the entrance. Note that the motif of birds eating grapes carved on the rood screen appears here, too.
The St. Barnabas Primary School
Entrance to the primary school.
Text and formatting by George P. Landow. [You may use these images 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 it in a print one.]
References
“A Short Guide to St. Barnabas's Church, Pimlico.” Four-page guide available at the church.
St Barnabas Pimlico (church website). 20 April 2015.
Last modified 20 April 2015