St Stephen's Church, Shepherd's Bush

St Stephen and St Thomas

Church of St Stephen and St Thomas, Shepherd's Bush
Country United Kingdom
Denomination Church of England
History
Dedication St Stephen
St Thomas
Architecture
Architect(s) Anthony Salvin
Style Victorian Gothic
Administration
Diocese London
Clergy
Vicar(s) Reverend Dr Bob Mayo
Reverend Anne Cowley

The Church of St Stephen and St Thomas is an Anglican church in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is a so-called "Commissioners' church"; a Church of England church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act of 1818. It was built circa 1849–50, designed by architect Anthony Salvin in the Gothic Revival style with a tower.

The church is on the south side of Uxbridge Road on the corner of Coverdale Road, to the west of Shepherd's Bush tube station.

History

Anthony Salvin

The Church of St Stephen and St Thomas was built circa 1849–50, designed by architect Anthony Salvin, and built in the Gothic Revival style with a tower.[1]

On completion, the periodical The Ecclesiologist, which was strongly in favour of the Gothic Revival movement, commented that the new church:

"has a peculiar value, as indicating how far our diocesan is willing to take the peculiar responsibility of those various features of the arrangements and decoration, which from desuetude had become to a great extent novelties in England when we first advocated their revival".[1]

St Stephen's was built of Kentish Ragstone with Bath stone dressings. It had a "very well developed chancel". The stained glass windows were manufactured by William Wailes and were donated by members of the clergy and other well-wishers.[1]

St Stephen's was built as a so-called "Commissioners' church"; an Anglican church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act 1818, and subsequent related Acts. Such churches have been given a number of titles, including "Commissioners' Churches", "Waterloo Churches" and "Million Act Churches". In some cases the Commissioners provided the full cost of the new church; in other cases they provided a grant and the balance was raised locally.

St Stephen's today

Sunday service in progress

Today St Stephen's continues to minister to the spiritual needs of the community. Services are held on Sundays at 10am. At 6.30 pm is evening prayer, a "quiet reflective service" held on the first Sunday of the month. On Thursday at 6.30pm there is a "Christian meditation".[2]

The Church also runs a Primary school called St Stephen's School Shepherd's Bush.[3] In 2008 Ofsted reported that it was "a good school with a number of outstanding features".[4]

See also

Notes

Coordinates: 51°30′21″N 0°13′44″W / 51.5058°N 0.2290°W / 51.5058; -0.2290

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