“Terror of Demons” is one of the titles of St Joseph. Here before us stands St Joseph’s Church. It is a testament to faith and architectural vision in Highgate. Founded by the Passionist Congregation in 1858, St Joseph’s began in humble circumstances. Father Ignatius Spencer, a convert to Catholicism, established it in the Old Black Dog Inn. The ground floor became a chapel. Rooms above, housed the religious community.
The initial church appeared in 1861. Designed by John Bird of Hammersmith, it soon proved inadequate. In 1888, construction began on the present St Joseph’s Church. The Bishop of Liverpool opened the new church in 1889. This commemorated Pope Leo XIII’s Jubilee. Consecration, however, had to wait until 1932 when the debt was cleared.
Albert Vicars designed St Joseph’s blending Romanesque and Byzantine styles. The green copper dome dominates the structure. It is a landmark visible from across London. Estimated to weigh 2000 tons, the dome is an iconic feature. Attached to the east end is St Joseph’s Retreat. It housed the Passionist community.
Inside St Joseph’s are the Stations of the Cross. These are large painted reliefs by F. Devriendt, installed in 1886. They invite contemplation.
The high altar features a baldachino. It is crafted from Sicilian marble. The tabernacle’s surrounds mirror the original wooden ones from 1861. The sanctuary’s mosaic pavement incorporates rock. These rocks came from the bed of the River Severn. A forward altar of marble and sandstone was erected in 1964. Gerald Murphy of Burles Newton & Partners designed it. C. Langlin created the sanctuary wall paintings.
The northeast chapel honors Passionist saints. It displays a painting of St Paul of the Cross by M.A. Laby. The Lady Chapel dates from 1958. Its altar is plain marble. A marble reredos shows the Annunciation and Coronation of Mary. Porter of Fulham created the Carrara marble statue of the Virgin in 1897. It came from the earlier chapel. A wooden sculpture of St Dominic Barberi by John O’Rourke stands nearby. It was created in 1999.
In St Michael’s Chapel, the marble rails and altar are noteworthy. They were exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1889. The chapel commemorates Rev. Michael Watts Russell. He died in 1875. A marble portrait plaque honors him. Cardinal Wiseman is said to have designed the reliquary. The Martyrs Chapel features a marble altar and rails. It includes an oil painting. The painting shows the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.
Look up at the segmental, vaulted ceiling. Nathaniel Westlake painted it in 1891. It is among his finest work. The ceiling has 250 panels. Each segment contains an angel. Each angel carries a scroll. The scrolls show a verse from the Te Deum.
William Hill & Sons built the four-manual organ in 1898. After the Second World War, it was installed. It serves as a memorial to local war victims.
St Joseph’s stained glass includes three clerestory windows on each side wall. The south windows depict the Crucifixion. The north windows show the Holy Family. Westlake’s paintings between the windows depict the Mysteries of the Rosary.
St Joseph’s stands as more than a building. It embodies faith, art, and history. Its solid presence inspires all who pass through its doors. The story of St Joseph, the patron saint of workers, fathers, and the Universal Church, resonates here. His virtues of humility, faith, and obedience continue to inspire.