Churches of the British Isles

The church is constructed of brick, with dressings of stone, marble, and alabaster, and it consists of a nave, side aisles, a semi-circular apse, and a lofty tower and spire. The roof of the chancel is groined, and is a combination of brick and stone. The interior is elaborately detailed. The chancel is surrounded by screens of brass and iron, and over the chancel arch is a well-executed fresco. Since 1961, the church has been surrounded by the Lillington Gardens estate.

Holy Trinity Vauxhall Bridge Road stood on the south-west side of Vauxhall Bridge Road, opposite John Islip Street. The church was built in 1849-1852 to designs by J L Pearson on land donated by Thomas Cubitt. Also known as Holy Trinity Bessborough Gardens, it was burnt out by enemy bombing during the Second World War. Closed in 1953 it was demolished a year later. Its parish was united with St James the Less (above) and the site is now Bessborough Gardens.

St Saviour Pimlico stands at the south-east corner of Pimlico's Lupus Street and St George's Square. This Anglo-Catholic Gothic church was built in 1863-1864 to a design by Thomas Cundy (who was also responsible for St Gabriel Warwick Square - see links). The build was part of Thomas Cubitt's development of the area on behalf of the marquis of Westminster. The church was built in ragstone to emphasise the contrast with the classical stucco of its secular neighbours.

The foundation stone was laid on 16 June 1863. It has a spire which is just under fifty-two metres in height, making it one of the tallest in London. The present organ was installed in 1871, and the church was heavily restored in 1882, which saw the galleries removed, the arcade work added to the sanctuary, and stained glass fitted to the east window (shown in the previous photo). A clock was added to the tower in 1895, and today the church is Grade II listed.

Holy Apostles Catholic Church sits on the southern side of Winchester Street, just a few metres south-east of the junction with Sussex Street. Although in the heart of London, Pimlico was built only relatively late. Holy Apostles began life as a chapel of ease in the former Claverton Street Methodist Chapel from 1917. This was destroyed by bombing in 1941 and initially after the war there was some trouble in gaining a new site, until the present one was used in 1957.

All photos on this page by P L Kessler.