|
Fellowes Prynne was asked to enlarge upon the existing church, and designed
all but the chancel, vestries and Lady chapel. These were by Withers. To quote
from the guide book:
It was stated at the time that the architect felt bound to carry on the
somewhat simple style and treatment of the existing chancel, with the insertion
of red brick work and Bath stone. The design provided for a steeple to rise to a
height of 140 feet but it was never built due to the lack of funds. Hence the
strange squat tower. Mrs. Shirley Woolmer opened a shilling fund to build the
“Victoria” (so named because of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee), and many
tradesmen took shilling fund cards to help raise money but the response was not
forthcoming. With a debt on the building of £4700 (in 1904) it was not
surprising.
 Internally there are many standard Fellowes Prynne hallmarks, but probably
the most eye-catching feature is the set of two ranks of statues of saints on
either side of the chancel arch. Fellowes Prynne used the idea of “stacked”
saints elsewhere (for example at Ealing) but here they are placed at an angle to
draw the eye into the chancel, which was already there when he started his
designs. It is this piece of ingenuity which helps the chancel, which is smaller
than Fellowes Prynne himself would have wanted, to look comfortable in the
context of the building.
The great stone screen is shown to excellent effect in the undated vintage
postcard illustrated, as are the “stacked” saints. See also one of the postcards
of St Saviour, Ealing, which also shows this
feature well.
H.H. Martyn was the contractor used to make the figures, an area of work in
which they specialised.
In 1920 the War Memorial chapel was dedicated. This was also designed by
Fellowes Prynne. The first postcard
of the exterior is undated, and the second was sent in November 1905.
 |
