St Saviour's is an

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 ...

church in

Pimlico Pimlico () is an area of Central London in the City of Westminster, built as a southern extension to neighbouring Belgravia. It is known for its garden squares and distinctive Regency architecture. Pimlico is demarcated to the north by London V ...

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and London boroughs, borough in Inner London. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It occupies a large area of cent ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, located at the north end of

St George's Square St George's Square is a prestigious and very long garden square in affluent Pimlico, Central London. It benefits from gardens and a church in its central area. Near the northern acute angle, the square is intersected by Lupus Street. Pimlic ...

. It was constructed in the 1860s as part of

Thomas Cubitt Thomas Cubitt (25 February 1788 – 20 December 1855) was a British master builder, notable for his employment in developing many of the historic streets and squares of London, especially in Belgravia, Pimlico and Bloomsbury. His great-great-g ...

'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 ...

. The church was designed by Thomas Cundy, who had previously built St Gabriel's Pimlico a short distance away. As with St Gabriel's, St Saviour's was designed in the Gothic style and built in ragstone to emphasise the contrast with the classical stucco of its secular neighbours. The church is Grade II listed.

History

Building

The foundation stone was laid on 16 June 1863 and the church was consecrated on 16 July 1864. At 170 feet (51.8m) high, the spire was at the time one of the tallest in London. At that time, the church interior looked rather bare. There were two long galleries extending from the chancel to the west end and there was no screen or pulpit, just a small brass lectern. In 1871, the present organ by Hill & Son was installed. In 1882, there was a major restoration called by a former churchwarden "the beautifying of the church": the galleries were removed, the arcade work was added to the sanctuary and the East window filled with stained glass. This work was made possible by the generosity of the parishioners (the sum of £1,500 being collected) and the supervision of the work by Romaine Walker himself. Further stained glass windows were completed after 1882 and pictures added.

Sanctuary

The reredos depicts the Last Supper and was designed by Romaine Walker, the son of the first Vicar, 1882, and carved by

Thomas Earp Thomas Earp may refer to: * Thomas Earp (politician) * Thomas Earp (sculptor) Thomas Earp (1828–1893) was a British sculptor and architectural carver who was active in the late 19th century. His best known work is his 1863 reproduction of t ...

. The East window, also designed by Romaine Walker, shows Christ in Majesty; by Clayton Bell (c. 1880). The oak rood screen was added in 1911.

Lady Chapel

The baldacchino was added in 1913, by Nicholson and Corlette.

Side chapel

The side chapel contains the Mission Altar (c 1910), originally in the old Mission Hall in Aylesford St. Above the altar the screen, originally in the Lady Chapel, is believed to be by Nicholson and Corlette.

Font

The font was also designed by Romaine Walker. The oak spire was added in 1885.

Turn of the 20th century

Between 1887 and 1912, a number of new additions were made which can be seen today. The side chapel was blessed in 1889, the sanctuary was decorated in 1891 and the clock placed in the tower in 1895. In 1911, the coronation year of

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

, the church was specially cleaned and the steeple repaired at a cost of £250. The vicar at this active time was Henry Washington. His life and ministry are commemorated by two stained glass windows, the chancel screen (erected in 1913) and the oak pulpit. In 1914 C. O. Merritt Fox, a churchwarden, published a history of St Saviour's. He concluded his book by saying:

people of the present day ... owe a great deal to the men and women of the earlier date, who did so much by stirring up enthusiasm about Church matters, and contributing liberally of their time and money to build churches, work the parishes, and level up the religious standard of the day. How can we show our gratitude for their efforts better than giving in like manner our services and our money, and in every possible way supporting the parochial organizations and the work which the Clergy are carrying on in our parish at the present time”.

In the 1930s the statues of the Madonna and Child (after Michelangelo), the Sacred Heart and the Stations of the Cross were shipped from Oberammergau and added to the church.

1990s to present

In 1999 the south wall was cleaned and repaired and extensive areas of damaged plaster-work were restored. The church was also completely redecorated. In the course of this work the full extent of the decorative panels of the chancel ceiling was uncovered. These panels were cleaned and restored. At the same time a simple oak central altar was installed in the nave to the west of the choir screen. The

lady chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chapel or a Marian chapel, an ...

has been reinstated in the south chancel-transept and the nave transepts have been cleared of unwanted pews in order to create a feeling of spaciousness throughout the building. More recently, in 2007, the Pimlico Room, parish office and sacristy have been renovated and restored. The Pimlico Room had been subsiding; this was attended to, and toilets added. A mezzanine was installed in the sacristy to allow for more space for both office and sacristy.

Notable past parishioners

During its history St Saviour's has been associated with a number of notable people. The first Duke of Westminster erected the church at his own expense, with

George Cubitt George Cubitt, 1st Baron Ashcombe, (4 June 1828 – 26 February 1917) of Denbies House, Dorking, Surrey, was a British politician and peer, a son of Thomas Cubitt, the leading London builder and property developer of his day. Education and ca ...

, descendant of the builder of much of Pimlico. Recently the

6th Duke of Westminster Major General Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, (22 December 1951 – 9 August 2016), was a British landowner, businessman, philanthropist, Territorial Army general, and peer. He was the son of Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of ...

has acted as Patron of Saint Saviour's Restoration Appeal.

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...

’s father, Gerard Kerr Olivier, was a curate at St Saviour’s and Lord Olivier was a choirboy and altar server. The founder of modern lawn tennis,

Walter Clopton Wingfield Major Walter Clopton Wingfield (16 October 1833 – 18 April 1912) was a Welsh people, Welsh inventor and a British Army officer who was one of the pioneers of tennis, lawn tennis.Tyzack, AnnThe True Home of Tennis''Country Life'', 22 June 2005 ...

, was a regular worshipper and the writer Sir Compton Mackenzie was married in the church.

Church hall

St Saviour’s church hall is situated alongside the south wall. The hall is in use nearly every day of the week and is home to the Young England Kindergarten where

Lady Diana Spencer Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

worked before her marriage to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

. Following her death, a tree was planted and a bench seat added in her memory.

Gallery

File:St Saviour's, Pimlico, nave.jpg, Nave File:St Saviour's, Pimlico, sanctuary.jpg, Sanctuary File:St Saviour's, Pimlico, ceiling.jpg, The painted ceiling

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Saviours Pimlico

19th-century Church of England church buildings Diocese of London Gothic Revival church buildings in London Pimlico

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