Think of this. A priest named Henry Rawes paid for the entire building of St Francis of Assisi Church. It stands here in Notting Hill. This Catholic parish church has a rich story. It is one of faith, art and community.
St Francis of Assisi Church was built between 1859 and 1860. Henry Clutton and John Francis Bentley designed it. The Oblates of St Charles founded the church. Father Henry Rawes spearheaded the project. He wanted a place of worship for the growing Catholic population.
The Oblates of St Charles Borromeo were founded in 1857. Henry Edward Manning started the group of Catholic priests. They lived in community and served a local church. Cardinal Wiseman asked Manning to start the mission. The mission grew. From it, St Mary of the Angels Church was built. Manning then sent Rawes to start a church on Pottery Lane in Notting Hill. This became St Francis of Assisi Church.
Work began on St Francis of Assisi Church in 1859. Henry Rawes paid for everything himself. Like with St Mary of the Angels Church, the Oblates asked Henry Clutton and John Francis Bentley to design St Francis of Assisi Church. Clutton initially designed it. Bentley supervised the furnishings. The church opened on February 2 1860.
Within a year, St Francis of Assisi Church was too small. The congregation had grown quickly. Starting in 1861, Bentley extended the church. This was his first independent architectural job. He added a presbytery, baptistry and porch. In March 1861, the St John side altar was built. Bentley and Nathaniel Westlake designed it. In 1863, the lady chapel altar, high altar and other features were added. Renovations continued throughout the 1860s.
Bentley later converted to Catholicism in 1862. He was baptized here at St Francis of Assisi Church. Historic England notes Bentley took his middle name from the church’s dedication.
Osmond Bentley, John Francis Bentley’s son, worked on the church from 1907 to 1913. He worked on the baptistry. He added grilles and doors. He also worked on the lady chapel. In 1917, Frederick Walters added the piscina in the sanctuary. The church was redecorated in 1926 and 1960. In 1982, the primary school moved. Its old building became the parish hall. Auxiliary Bishop David Konstant opened the hall. He blessed a statue of St Francis of Assisi. Arthur Fleischmann designed the statue. In 1983-1984, the altar rails were removed. The altar was moved forward. A new stained-glass window was added in 2008. Benjamin Finn designed it. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor blessed it. In 2010, the stonework, floor and artwork were repaired.
St Francis of Assisi Church stands as a testament. It shows faith, art and community. It represents the dedication of those who built it. The church also reflects the love of those who have maintained it. It continues to be a vibrant center. St Francis of Assisi Church offers solace, inspiration, and a sense of belonging to all who enter.