St Gabriel's, Pimlico, is a Church of England,

Anglo-Catholic Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholic heritage and identity of the various Anglican churches. The term was coined in the early 19th century, although movements emphasising the Catholic nature of Anglican ...

parish church in Pimlico, London. It lies within the Deanery of Westminster (St Margaret) within the

Diocese of London The Diocese of London forms part of the Church of England's Province of Canterbury in England. It lies directly north of the Thames. For centuries the diocese covered a vast tract and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north ...

. Designed by

Thomas Cundy (junior) Thomas Cundy the younger (1790 – 15 July 1867) was an English architect, son of another architect of the same name. He joined his father's practice and ultimately succeeded his father as surveyor of the Grosvenor Estate, and held the posit ...

, it was constructed between 1851 and 1853 as part of Thomas Cubitt's development of the area on behalf of the

Marquess of Westminster A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

. It is a Grade II* Listed Building.

History

St Gabriel's Church, Warwick Square, London SW1 - Chancel - geograph

The church was built between 1851 and 1853 by

. In the period 1840–60, Pimlico was a rapidly expanding residential area and The Marquess of Westminster, the major local landowner, granted £5,000 and the freehold of a plot at the south-western end of Warwick Square for a church. The vestry was added in 1887-8 by

James Piers St Aubyn James Piers St Aubyn (6 April 1815 – 8 May 1895), often referred to as J P St Aubyn, was an English architect of the Victorian era, known for his church architecture and confident restorations. Early life St Aubyn was born at Powick Vicarag ...

Description

Immediately following all this work came a period of improvements in the chancel, funded in the main by Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton. A new high altar had been installed, designed by

John Francis Bentley John Francis Bentley (30 January 1839 – 2 March 1902) was an English ecclesiastical architect whose most famous work is the Westminster Cathedral in London, England, built in a style heavily influenced by Byzantine architecture. Life Bentley ...

, architect of

Westminster Cathedral Westminster Cathedral is the mother church of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. It is the largest Catholic church in the UK and the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster. The site on which the cathedral stands in the City of ...

, and now the whole chancel was lined with alabaster by Powell with Italianate mosaic designs. The floor is of red and white marble squares with solid marble steps. Particularly prominent was the new East Window by

Charles Eamer Kempe Charles Eamer Kempe (29 June 1837 – 29 April 1907) was a British Victorian era designer and manufacturer of stained glass. His studios produced over 4,000 windows and also designs for altars and altar frontals, furniture and furnishings, lichg ...

depicting Christ in Glory with Saints.

Lady Chapel

The Lady Chapel was added to the south of the chancel and some of the original reredos (thought to be by

George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...

) from the original high altar, installed there.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Gabriel's, Pimlico

Warwick Square Warwick Square is a garden square in the Pimlico district of London SW1. Buildings fronting, save for a church, are listed Grade II on the National Heritage List for England. The private gardens at the centre of the square are Grade II listed on ...

Diocese of London Gothic Revival church buildings in England Pimlico

Grade II* listed churches in the City of Westminster Thomas Cundy (junior) church buildings