The former Connaught Chapel occupies an enviable site in the heart of the Hyde Park Estate, where (for once) the post-war rebuilding of the surrounding housing has respected the church in its design - though, not being on a major thoroughfare, it does take a little searching out.
When the area was being developed in the early 1800s, the original proposal was for a classical Ionic design by the architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (best known for Admiralty House). On his death in 1827, the Church Commissioners turned instead to Charles Fowler, architect of Covent Garden Market. His design was very different - a Perpendicular church with a nave of 8 bays of clustered shafts, tall aisles and clerestory, and a small square chancel. As completed in 1832, the church had galleries above the aisles and could seat over 2,000. The large east and west windows were inserted in their present form by Arthur William Blomfield, along with the addition of a front porch, in 1888.
The removal of the galleries and pews have a resulted in a feeling of lightness and spaciousness: the entry from the west door towards the altar is something of a coup de théâtre. That said, the huge east and west windows, filled with good early 20th century glass, rather steal the show by their sheer size.
The church today is home to a vibrant parish life in the Liberal Catholic tradition, with a particular reputation for music (concerts cover a wide repertoire) and a strong emphasis on inclusivity. The church is open weekdays for private prayer (evening prayer is celebrated Monday to Thursday) as well as Sunday services.
St John's Hyde Park, Hyde Park Crescent, London, W2 2QD
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