Who knew that a church could spark controversy over “Popish and Pagan mummeries”? That’s exactly what happened at St Michael and All Angels. This beautiful church stands as a testament to Victorian architecture. It also stands as a place of vibrant community and Anglo-Catholic tradition.
St Michael and All Angels began as a humble iron structure in 1876. It was located on Chiswick High Road. Reverend Alfred Wilson started fundraising for a permanent church. The present St Michael and All Angels was consecrated in 1880. It is located near Turnham Green station. Norman Shaw designed it.
But even before its consecration, trouble was brewing. A letter was sent to the Bishop of London. It accused Reverend Wilson of unseemly practices. The accusations included marching in procession. He also allegedly made the sign of the cross. The controversy raged in the local paper. A reporter noted the service was very “high”. He said it was reminiscent of a Roman Catholic Church.
Despite the initial controversy, St Michael and All Angels flourished. Its Anglo-Catholic tradition remained strong. Norman Shaw, the architect, was best known for his houses. Shaw also designed New Scotland Yard. He even designed country houses like Cragside. Andrew Saint called St Michael’s interior the best-preserved Norman Shaw interior in London.
Shaw designed St Michael and All Angels in the Queen Anne Revival style. He used red brick and white joinery. Architects have described the church as theatrical. They called it a mixing of Gothic and Queen Anne styles.
Sir John Betjeman called St Michael’s a very lovely church. He admired Norman Shaw’s work. Shaw once joked that he was a house man and not a church man. He said soil pipes were his specialty.
The Parish Hall was added later. Maurice B Adams designed it. Adams was also St Michael’s first churchwarden. The north aisle was completed in 1892.
St Michael and All Angels has seen its share of challenges. A Second World War bomb damaged the roof and stained glass. The East Window was replaced in 1952. There have been regular renovations since the mid-60s.
In 1989, the church needed rewiring. Much of the money came from an unusual source. St Michael and All Angels was used in the film Nuns on the Run. Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane played crooks disguised as nuns.
Today, St Michael and All Angels is a Grade II listed building. It stands as a beautiful and welcoming church. St Michael and All Angels is at the heart of the Chiswick community. The church hosts concerts and events. The Bedford Park Festival and the Chiswick Book Festival also take place here. St Michael and All Angels is a testament to faith and community. It has stood the test of time.