How often do you stumble upon a hidden gem, a place where history and faith intertwine? St Francis of Assisi Church in Notting Hill is such a place. This Catholic parish church stands on Pottery Lane. Its story began in the mid-19th century amid immense poverty.
In 1856 Cardinal Wiseman sought to address the degradation of the Potteries area. He tasked Dr Henry Edward Manning to found the Order of the Oblates of St Charles in London. Wiseman gave Manning St Helen Church. Manning had the church completed by Henry Clutton. It opened as St Mary of the Angels in 1857.
Nearby lay the area named the Potteries. Living conditions were terrible. The average age of death was just 11.6 years. Pigs and filth were everywhere. Cholera outbreaks were common. A church and school were greatly needed. The Oblates considered two sites. One was by St John’s Church. The other was on Pottery Lane. The Pottery Lane site was chosen. It was believed that the poor would not go up the hill to church. The church would serve the poor Catholics of Notting Dale. Many were Irish immigrants. They worked in potteries or pig breeding.
Construction of St Francis of Assisi Church began in 1859. Father Henry Augustus Rawes paid for it. He asked Henry Clutton and John Francis Bentley to design it. Clutton made the initial designs. Bentley supervised the furnishings. The church opened on 2 February 1860. It consisted of a nave, apsidal chancel and north aisle.
Soon the church was too small. From 1861 Bentley extended it. It was his first independent commission. He built a presbytery, baptistry and porch. He designed the St John side altar. In 1863 he added the lady chapel altar, high altar, and reredos. Confessionals were also added. Bentley donated furnishings. These included a baptismal font cover. Between 1865 and 1870 stations of the cross were constructed.
Bentley converted to Catholicism in 1862. He designed many churches. Most notably he designed Westminster Cathedral. He was baptised in the font he designed at St Francis. He took Francis as his middle name.
In 1882 a dais was built over the baptistry. The presbytery was extended. From 1907 to 1913 Osmond Bentley worked on the church. He worked on the baptistry and 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 became the parish hall. Bishop David Konstant opened the hall. He blessed a statue of St Francis of Assisi. In 1983-1984 the altar rails were removed. The altar was brought forward. In 2008 a new stained-glass window was added. In 2010 the stonework and artwork around the sanctuary were restored.
Inside St Francis of Assisi Church you will find the high altar constructed in 1863. The altar displays a painting of the dead Christ. Paintings of Abraham, Melchisedech, Noah and Abel decorate the reredos. A small brass plaque marks the place where relics of St Felix are interred. The pulpit shows St Francis preaching to the birds. The stations of the cross were painted by Westlake.
The church’s stained glass includes depictions of St Agnes, Christ the Good Shepherd, and St John Henry Newman. The window at the west end shows The People of God.
St Francis of Assisi Church stands as a testament to faith. It shows dedication. It is a beacon of hope in Notting Hill. Its rich history and beautiful art invite all to reflect and find peace.