LXV—CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH, GORDON SQUARE
This church was completed in 1854, (fn. *) twenty years after the death
of Edward Irving, who was chief among the founders of the Catholic Apostolic Church. It was designed by John Raphael Brandon (1817–1877), who
had made an intimate study of English medieval buildings and who is
perhaps best known by his Open Timber Roofs of the Middle Ages. The church
is interesting as an ambitious and, on the whole, successful attempt to reproduce the architecture of the 13th-century in modern times, and it owes its
undeniable beauty to Brandon's skill, learning, and sensitive powers of
composition.
It is cruciform in plan, following the lines of our larger collegiate
churches. The nave (Plate 40) was designed to be of seven bays, five only
of which have been built, the present west wall being a temporary one of
brick. It is flanked by aisles, with arcades carried on clustered columns,
above which are a lofty triforium and clerestory. Triple wall-shafts divide
each bay and are carried on elaborately-carved corbels at triforium level, and
this motive is repeated in the eastern and western arches of the crossing
where the two inner moulded orders are carried on similar triple shafts and
corbels (Plate 41).
The depth of the transepts corresponds with the width of the aisles.
Externally the south transept has two tiers of three tall lancet windows, with
a large rose window in the gable, the angles of the transept having octagonal
turrets surmounted by pinnacles rising from a ring of gabled arches. This
transept accommodates the choir and the north transept contains the organ
(Plate 42). The base of the centre tower over the crossing has not been
carried higher than the ridge of the main roofs.
Brandon roofed his nave with a wooden roof of hammerbeam construction, but the sanctuary, or eastern arm, is vaulted in stone. It is of three
bays, the main arcades elaborately decorated, but the triforium and clearestory
are treated similarly to those of the nave. The east wall of the sanctuary has
three lancets in its upper stage, but below these is a large arch filled with
unglazed geometrical window tracery (Plate 41) through which is seen the
English Chapel which extends beyond to the east. The traceried arch forms
an effective reredos to the high altar.
The south aisle to the sanctuary contains the South Chapel, and to
the north is a narrow aisle or ambulatory. The principal entrance is now on
the north side of the church, approached by a cloister walk from Gordon
Square.
The Rev. Christopher Heath (Edward Irving's successor) built the
Church. (See p. 94.)