Church of St Mary Magdalene

Details

CAMDEN

TQ2882SE MUNSTER SQUARE
798-1/92/1170 Church of St Mary Magdalene
10/06/54

GV II*

Church. 1849-52 by RC Carpenter for Rev Edward Stuart,
alterations 1866-7 by Slater and Carpenter; north aisle &
crypt added 1883-4 by RH Carpenter and B Ingelow. Snecked
Kentish ragstone with Bath stone dressings. Tiled pitched
roofs with ornamental ridge tiles.
STYLE: Decorated.
EXTERIOR: large sanctuary, 6-bay nave with 2 aisles of almost
equal widths and height under separate roofs. No clerestory.
Uncompleted south-west tower. North-west facade with octagonal
bell turret terminating in gabled louvres under a conical roof
with finial. Gabled entrance porch at north-west corner with
hoodmould and ballflower decoration to pointed arch moulding;
cast and wrought-iron gates with scrolled decoration. In the
gable, a relief cross added 1921 with quatrefoil enrichment on
a patterned background. Aisles buttressed between traceried
windows. East end has 7-light window with reticulated tracery
and wheel; west end has 6-light window with quatrefoils and
quatrefoil rose window.
INTERIOR: arch-braced collar-truss type roof of Baltic fir
with cross windbraces. Pointed aisle arcades on piers of 4
clustered columns; moulded chancel arch on clustered columns.
White plastered walls. Nave floored in red tiles from the
first, and always with movable free seating. Arcaded chancel
with shafts and spandrels of St Ann's marble. Sedilia and roof
coloured by Mssrs. Crace. Piscina 1895 by Norman Shaw and made
by Farmer and Brindley. Chancel floored in encaustic tiles
when raised in 1866 by Slater and Carpenter and frescoes added
by Bell, Redfern and Almond 1867. Memorial to Edward Stuart on
lowest step. High altar lengthened 1912 by MCC Durston.
Crucifix 1884 moved to south aisle. Reredos 1929 by Sir
Charles Nicholson; his also the clergy and choir stalls, the
latter moved to back of nave in 1971. Reordered 1990. Roodbeam
(1903) and screens (1906) by JT Micklethwaite and Somers
Clarke. South or calvary chapel with altar and communion rails
by Nicholson (also glass, see below). Altar in the north or
Blessed Sacrament chapel from Christ Church Albany Street, its
lamps are Spanish, donated in 1895. Font restored 1886, cover
1930 by Nicholson. Attractive settle in children's corner
dated 1929.
Stained glass: east window of special interest as being one of
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin's last designs, made by Hardman. One chancel window the only other Hardman glass to survive. South aisle from east: east window replacing Hardman's designed by Nicholson in 1931-2 and made by Scharlieb; two memorial windows to Sir Edward Hall Anderson, 1857 by Clayton and Bell under the
supervision of William Butterfield. Nativity window 1862 by
Lavers and Barraud; west aisle window 1884 by Clayton and
Bell. North aisle from east: east window and one next to it by
Clayton and Bell, Last Supper 1891; two windows of 1884 by
Heaton, Butler and Bayne; memorial to George J Palmer dated
1892 by Heaton, Butler and Bayne; west aisle window 1891 by
Clayton and Bell. West nave window by AA Orr replacing
memorial window to RC Carpenter 1857 designed by John Clayton
and made by Hardman, destroyed in Second World War.
Painting on south aisle wall over former schools entrance by
Clayton and Bell. Stations of the Cross given in 1895. Windows
in north aisle of crypt filled by 1975 with delightful stained
glass from St Augustine's Haggerston, of 1930-2 by Margaret
Rope.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the plan of the church with its nearly equal
nave and aisles and intended tall tower, together with its
wholly English style, demonstrate the influence of Augusutus Welby Northmore Pugin.The design was based, however, on the Austin Friars Church in the City. It was a leading centre of Tracterian worship from its foundation. On its consecration in 1852 the Ecclesiologist described it as "the most artistically correct new church yet consecrated in London". Norman Shaw worshipped here for 42 years and described it as "the beau ideal of a town church".
(The Builder: 11 August 1855: 372; The Builder: 28 July 1858:
354-5; The Builder: 3 November 1866: 818; The Builder: 1 March
1884: 322; Thomas E Sedgwick, with J T Micklethwaite, R Norman
Shaw et al.: Description and History of the Church of St Mary
Magdalene: London: -1902; Survey of London: Vol. XXI,
Tottenham Court Road and Neighbourhood, St Pancras III:
London: -1949: 140).



Listing NGR: TQ2895782422

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

477558

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Description and History of the Church of St Mary Magdalene, (1902)
The Builder in 11th August, (1855), 372
The Builder in 1st March, (1884), 322
The Builder in 28th July, (1858), 354,355
The Builder in 3rd November, (1866), 818
Survey of London in Survey of London - Tottenham Court Road and Neighbourhood St Pancras Part 3: Volume 21, (1949), 140

End of official list entry

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