tower hamlets churches

staircase to the galleries in the n.w.corner of the church, woodwork c.1723

engraved metal plug from the font from the episcopal jews chapel, bearing words from luke 3:16.

organ case inside the west end of hawksmoor's church, added by robert bridge in 1735

in 1822 the royal arms made of coade stone were added, designed by william croggan

the most exciting of hawksmoor's churches, built in 1714-29, the portico an afterthought added to a finished front in 1725. seen close up, their unfluted bulk can seem heavy, yet in the context of the entire facade they do look elegant. they obviously carry little, not even a pediment, and the tower sits foursquare behind it.

in 1822 the royal arms made of coade stone were added, designed by william croggan

altar rail of wrought iron, c18

view up into the arch of hawksmoor's portico, a most original device built in around 1725

the most exciting of hawksmoor's churches, built in 1714-29, a thrill every time you see it both inside and out. pevsner thought it ugly. the tower is missing lucarnes, crockets running up the angles and a finial on top, all removed in 1822.

the chancel was divided from the nave by two pillars and a length of architrave, in 1822 the royal arms made of coade stone were added to this screen.

detail of the tower of hawksmoor's church , built in 1714-29

the mixture of aesthetics and engineering in this church led hawksmoor to some original uses of old motifs. the tower is really quite small, but is given strength by buttresses that double its width , the concave curves playing off the arches and oculi of this westwerk. the church was built in 1714-29, and both inside and out geometry plays a great part, solids contrasting with voids in unexpected ways throughout.

plasterwork over the altar, c.1728 by isaac mansfield

the church was rebuilt by st.dunstan in 952; what stands is mostly c15 much rebuilt and repaired. the victorians wiped out much of its real history when they removed everything post mediaeval except the monuments.

c15 tower, much repaired, the top storey rebuilt after war damage. the modern entrance hides the scar of a lost jacobean mannerist west porch, destroyed by the victorians who wiped the post mediaeval years from the architectural record.

victorian royal arms over the tower arch

c13 sedilia

c13 sedilia