“The Cathedral of North London” some call it. We are standing before St Augustine’s Church. It is a magnificent testament to Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.
St Augustine’s Church is not actually a cathedral. But its size and beauty have earned it that affectionate nickname. Let’s delve into the story of this remarkable church.
In 1870 Richard Carr Kirkpatrick founded St Augustine’s Church. He did so in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. By 1871, the foundation stone was laid. The original iron church was replaced. A grander Gothic Revival church was built. John Loughborough Pearson designed it.
Pearson’s design for St Augustine’s Church included red brick. It also featured vaulted ceilings. Extensive interior stone sculpture was planned. The style recalled 13th-century Gothic architecture. The church was consecrated in 1880. However, the tower and spire were added later. They are remarkable for the Victorian era. They were completed in 1897-1898.
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed the reredos for the high altar in 1930. He also designed the Lady Chapel reredos and Stations of the Cross. Even before its dedication, St Augustine’s Church was admired. In 1878, Edward Walford called it one of London’s finest ecclesiastical structures.
The spire of St Augustine’s Church rises over 77 metres. That is 253 feet. The nave, completed in 1878, is nine metres wide. That is 28 feet. It includes nine bays. Transepts border the crossing on the north and south. Religious art depicts major biblical stories.
Clayton and Bell created the stained-glass windows. A large rose window depicts the Creation. Nine clerestory windows show types of angels. Nave windows portray saints connected with England. There is also a window of Saint Augustine. Other tall lancet windows add to the display. Paintings around the nave depict Christ’s healing ministry.
The chancel and sanctuary are surrounded by dense carvings. These represent the Passion, Crucifixion, Entombment, and Resurrection of Christ. Also depicted are the Apostles, saints, and other religious figures. The south transept leads to St Michael’s Chapel. Here, the Eucharist, sacrifice, angels, and worship of Heaven are shown. The Lady Chapel features frescoes of the Christ child. A later carving shows Christ’s Presentation in the Temple.
St Augustine’s Church stands prominently south of Kilburn. It is north of Maida Vale. The church has two schools. They are St Augustine’s Primary School and St Augustine’s High School.
Richard Carr Kirkpatrick led St Augustine’s from 1870 to 1907. He formed the church after a dispute. He had been curate at St Mary’s, Kilburn. The new vicar there was unsympathetic to the Anglo-Catholic movement.
St Augustine’s Church has appeared in popular culture. The interior was used in Young Sherlock Holmes in 1985. It served as the church of Reverend Duncan Nesbitt. A stained-glass knight comes alive in his hallucination. The church was also a New York church in Highlander. Macleod and the Kurgan meet on holy ground there. More recently, St. Augustine’s Church was used in the 2024 Netflix Series Black Doves.
Leonard Bernstein even conducted an English Bach Festival concert here in 1977. Thomas Hardy visited the church to hear the music. He also admired the magnificent building. At one point, St Augustine’s Church owned valuable paintings. Viscount Rothermere gave them to the church. One was stolen. The church sold the others due to security concerns.
Today, St Augustine’s Church continues its mission. It is known for its worship, mission, and outreach. The church plays an active role in the schools’ lives. It enriches the spiritual development of students. St Augustine’s seeks to bear witness to the Christian faith. It upholds the Catholic tradition. It offers the Mass and serves the community.