Dedicated in 1911, St Jude’s Church stands as the parish church of Hampstead Garden Suburb. The suburb was founded in 1907 by Henrietta Barnett. She envisioned a model community. Here, all classes could live together harmoniously.
St Jude’s Church is the centerpiece. Edwin Lutyens designed this masterpiece. He was the greatest English architect of the early 20th century. Simon Jenkins called St Jude’s a confident application of Queen Anne Revival to traditional church form.
Building began in 1909. The west end wasn’t completed until 1935. Externally, St Jude’s is impressive. It stretches 200 feet long. The spire rises 178 feet above the ground.
Inside St Jude’s, the dimensions are striking. From the west door to the chancel steps, it’s 122 feet. The highest part of the roof reaches 40 feet. The ceiling is barrel-vaulted and domed.
Walter P Starmer created the murals and paintings. He started with the Lady Chapel in 1920. He completed the apse in 1929. Starmer served in World War I. Many of his Western Front paintings are in the Imperial War Museum.
The west window, dedicated in 1937, is also by Starmer. It depicts Saint Jude holding a cross and the church. Below is his symbol, the ship. Above, Christ is in glory. The traditional symbols of the four evangelists surround him.
A memorial to horses killed in World War I is north of the west door. Rosemary Proctor created it in 1970. It replaced a stolen bronze model by Lutyens’ father. Near it is a memorial to Basil Bourchier, the first vicar. A commemoration of the west end’s completion is on the south pillar.
The ceiling panels over the centre aisle depict biblical scenes. These include the wise men, the shepherds, Christ feeding the multitude, and stilling the storm. You’ll also see Christ healing and the crucifixion. The entry into Jerusalem is also shown.
Memorials on the north wall honour John Raphael. He was a sportsman killed in World War I. There is also a bust of Father Maxwell Rennie by his daughter Rosemary Proctor. A painting by Starmer shows Michael Rennie’s last moments. He died saving evacuee children after their ship was torpedoed.
The murals in the aisles represent Jesus’ teachings. The Stations of the Cross also begin here. They continue into the south aisle.
The iron screens flanking the sanctuary are older than the church. They bear the name Matthias Heit and the date 1710. The sanctuary floor is patterned in brick and marble. The high altar includes stones from Canada. One is from a chapel in Nova Scotia. The other is from Montreal Cathedral. Eric Gill designed the foundation stone. The pulpit was also a Canadian gift.
Over the south door is a commemoration of the murals’ unveiling by the Prince of Wales in 1924. There is a figure of Christ by Rosemary Proctor too. Nearby is a memorial to Edward VII.
The Lady Chapel is the oldest part of St Jude’s. It opened in 1910. A key to the ceiling painting hangs on a pillar. It depicts heroic women. A wooden statue of Our Lady is in the sanctuary. The altar features a reproduction of the Madonna and Child by Bernini.
The Harmsworth family gifted St John’s Chapel in 1923. The murals here depict scenes from the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation. Robert Anning Bell designed the memorial window to Robert Lovel St John Harmsworth.
Lutyens designed the green and white marble altar. Maurice Greiffenhagen painted St John holding a chalice. A serpent emerges from it. This references a legend about St John surviving poison.
The Father Willis organ came from St Jude’s in Whitechapel. Canon Samuel Barnett was vicar there. He was the husband of Henrietta Barnett. The organ was moved to the chancel in 1934.
In 2015, a storm damaged the spire’s weathervane. The vane was replaced in 2021. The original is now displayed inside St Jude’s.
St Jude’s is a Grade I listed building. It stands as a testament to architectural brilliance. It embodies a vision of community and harmony.