Diameter: 23" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Warner & Sons 1880
Dove Bell ID: 55696 Tower ID: 21056 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
St Stephen Hounslow
Diocese of London
Church, 623244
Victorian/Pre-WW1
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 136 749
The exterior of the church is red brick, relieved by bands of white brick which run below the windows and above them, following the line of each window head. These are all simple lancets with sills of Bath stone. The nave has four bays and side aisles with roofs abutting on to the walls of the nave leaving room for a row of eight lancets above to function as a clerestory. The roofs are all slated.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave, aisles, transepts, apsidal chancel and west baptistery.
Description of Archaeology and History
Built in 1875-6, designed by E. Christian; tower 1935 by Cachemaille Day.
Exterior Description
The exterior of the church is red brick, relieved by bands of white brick which run below the windows and above them, following the line of each window head. These are all simple lancets with sills of Bath stone. The nave has four bays and side aisles with roofs abutting on to the walls of the nave leaving room for a row of eight lancets above to function as a clerestory. The roofs are all slated. From the churchyard to the south, the most imposing feature of the church is the large and very severe brick tower which was built in 1935 at the south-west corner of the nave to a design by Cachemaille-Day. This was apparently the site intended for the tower when the church was first built in 1875. The tower is plain and windowless except for the top stage which is meant to be the belfry, but contains no bells. The corners here are chamfered off and on each of the four sides are five severe louvred lancets. Beneath this in the south and west walls, a large clock face has been incorporated in brick and tiles. At the foot of the tower on the south side is the main door into the church, for which the ground floor serves as a hall.
The doorway at the foot of the tower is also entirely of brick, and is composed of five sharply pointed arches receding one within another, and outlined by a heavy dripo,atone which becomes a stringcourse round the rest of the tower at a point about twelve feet above the ground. Above the door itself a space was loft to contain a carved tympanum. This has never been executed, and the space is filled instead by bricks and tiles arranged in formal patterns.
At the other end of the south aisle, and built against the south transept is tho 19th century porch with two lancet windows. Above the door, with a fine disregard for stylistic uniformity, is a wooden tympanum filled with Decorated tracery.
The south transept has a triple lancet in the end wall framed by an arch of white brick, with a tiny Bath stone trefoil light high in the gable. Beneath the south window is the foundationstone laid by the Bishop of London on 9th November 1873.
The chancel terminates in an apse with five tall lancet windows. Between the apse of the chancel and the smaller apse of the vestry on the east side of the north transept is a small porch over the vestry door. The north side of the church is symmetrical with the south, but lacking its principal features i.e. the tower at the west ehd and a porch at the side of the transept. Instead of the tower there is, in the corresponding position on this side, a small porch. The church thus has five entrances.
The west end of the church has yet another apsidal projection. In this case, it is a baptistery. This has three lancet windows. Above it is a wheel window of Bath stone. There are eight spokes in the form of little columns. These too are of Bath stone. The window is sot within three receding arches of white bricks. Above the porch, which abuts on to the baptistery there is a small flying buttress which possibly adds some support to the west end of the north wall of the nave.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1913
The triple lancet of the North transept contains glass of a distinctly pre11, Raphaelite derivation with the text "The Noble Army of Martyrs", in this case represented by three Saints.— St. Alban, in the centre light, with St. Edmund the in 0 left light and St. Thomas z!t Becket in the right one. Below St. Alban is a small square panel of the Crucifixion - a stock design. Below the other two are square panels representingtheir respective martyrdoms - both well-designed, lively scenes. Above the central figure of St. Alban is a pair' of angels bearing palms of triumph. The colouring in these three lights is strong but not garish and the figure drawing is of high quality, as is the detail of ornaments on the saints' armour and rich vestments, and the powerful foliage separating each panel. Presented as a memorial in 1913.
Stained Glass
1876
The five lancets of the chancel apse have each a scene in a square panel set in a stark pattern of stylised foliage of a stereotyped nature. These windows were presented as a memorial in 1876.
Stained Glass
The south transept centre light has a representation of the Stoning of St. Stephen (to whom the church is dedicated) and is somewhat formal, with carefully balanced figures on each side of the saint who, richly clad, is sinking to his knees with a rather sentimental expression on his face. Below this scene in a roundel is the Paschal Lamb and above in another roundel is a crown of glory. In the head of the lancet light, unsatisfactorily placed, is a representation of The Saviour of the World carrying an orb and raising his right hand in benediction. This figure is truncated at the knees. There is an elaborate architectural framework between each section of the window.
Stained Glass
1883 - 1896
The pairs of lancets in the aisles contain figures of the twelve Apostles but the series lacks two. Those present are, in the north aisle, west to east - St. Bartholomew,St. James the Less, St. Andrew, St. Matthias, St. Peter and St. John, and the south aisle has St. Thomas, St. James the Greater, St. Philip and St. Matthew. The windows were presented in an intermittent sequence between 1883 and 1896.
Stained Glass
1882
The three lancets in the western baptistery contain the suitable subject of the Presentation in the Temple with Simeon in the centre light holding the child Jesus. A brass plate records that they are a memorialto Jason Gurney, d.1882.
Interior
Interior Description
The walls are, like the exterior, red brick banded with white, and the floors are of yellow, red and black tiles. The church is very spacious. The roof from the west end to the chancel arch beyond the transepts is of a quasi-hammerbeam type with bold geometrical cut-out designs in the spandrels. The floor of the chancel retains its diapered pattern of red and yellow tiles with fleurs-de-lys at the intersections. A red carpet covers much of the nave and chancel tiling.
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
The font is a memorial to the first Vicar of the Parish, Henry Layton, 1876-1914 and is a handsome piece in pink alabaster and various marbles with a circular bowl divided into eight cinquefoil-headed panels, and an octagonal stem and base.
Organ (object)
The organ is a good instrument of two manuals by Hunter of Kennington Road.
Lectern
The brass pedestal lectern is of stock Jones and Willis pattern - plain book-rest type, with three logs and some brass curlicues.
Reredos
The reredos is a solid stone construction painted grey, and has panels inlaid with opus soctile. The central section, above the altar is of three panels; centrally there is a cross of gold on a green ground an in smaller arched panels to left and right are representations of grapes and ears of corn, again gold on green. The side wings of the reredos each contain two panels with cusped cinquefoil heads. Those contain the four archangels holding censors and palms, standing against blue backgrounds. Below on each side is a simple panel of green opus soctile.
Pulpit
Octagonal stone, with a column at each angle and panels inlaid with simple opus sectile representing in white on a red ground a cross and various letters associated with Christ - IHRI, IHS and the Chi-Rho symbol. A continuous frieze of ivy leaves is carved round the top.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 136 749
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Quinquennial Inspections
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