Imagine Victorian London expanding rapidly. New suburban houses arose in Upper Norwood. Among them was built Saint John the Evangelist.
Saint John the Evangelist is a Church of England church. It stands in Upper Norwood. This red brick Gothic Revival church is a Grade II listed building. John Loughborough Pearson designed it. Construction spanned from 1878 to 1887. The church honors the Christian saint John the Evangelist.
Back in the 1870s a temporary iron church served the growing population. It was moved to Auckland Road in 1875. This is where Saint John the Evangelist stands today. In 1876 it became a parish church. Rev William Fairbairn La Trobe-Bateman started fundraising for a permanent church. A memorial fund for his wife, who died of tuberculosis in 1878, supplemented the efforts.
John Loughborough Pearson, a renowned architect, was hired. He had designed St Augustine’s Kilburn. Pearson planned a church seating 1,000 people. The foundation stone was laid on 6 May 1878. Construction was delayed until enough funds were secured. The Church Commissioners gave extra money. But it was conditional. The plans had to include a tower. Construction began in 1881. It concluded in 1887. Sadly, financial constraints meant the tower was never built.
The exterior of Saint John the Evangelist features plain red brick. Two turrets stand at the west end. These are described as typically Pearsonian. The church stretches 160 feet long. It forms a cruciform shape. The south transept was intended for a 208-foot tower. However, it remains uncompleted. A tall clerestory rises above the nave.
Inside, stock brick creates arcades and rib vaulting. The stone rood screen across the chancel is striking. It showcases five gothic arches. Four statues crown the arches. The large carved stone reredos also commands attention.
During the Second World War bombing damaged Saint John the Evangelist. Caroe & Partners restored it between 1946 and 1951. Clayton & Bell’s stained glass was lost. A rose window by Ninian Comper survived. Comper was a Gothic Revival designer. He lived in Upper Norwood.
Saint John the Evangelist suffered from subsidence. This required rood screen reconstruction. It also threatened the south aisle. Initial works secured the structure. The Heritage Lottery Fund and other donors supported it. Work is ongoing to restore interior features damaged by the subsidence.
Since Thomas Helmore’s time Saint John the Evangelist has had a strong musical tradition. Thomas Christopher Lewis built the organ in 1882. The organ was in the north transept. The console was on the south choir aisle. This unusual design caused technical issues. Rebuilds occurred in 1912 and 1947. Harrison & Harrison restored it in 1997-98.
The church has excellent acoustics. Classical music artists often use it for recordings. These include His Majesty’s Sagbutts & Cornetts. Also Florilegium and I Fagiolini have recorded here.
Saint John the Evangelist stands on Auckland Road and Sylvan Road’s corner. It is south of Crystal Palace Park. Crystal Palace and Anerley are the closest train stations.
Now remember Thomas Helmore. He was an authority on plainsong and English choral music. He was a priest here. Also Cecil Horsley was a vicar. Later he became Bishop of Colombo and Gibraltar. Bev Mason served as vicar. He then became Bishop of Warrington. John Taylor Smith was a curate. He became Bishop of Sierra Leone. Kenneth Mackenzie served his curacy here. He later became Bishop of Brechin.
Saint John the Evangelist stands as a testament to faith. It has endured war and structural challenges. It continues to serve its community with music and worship.