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One of the best furnished churches in London
St Augustine of Canterbury, Langdon Park Road, London N6 5QG
“One of the best furnished churches in London”, said the Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman (1906–84) about the north-London Anglican church of St. Augustine of Canterbury. The church is a Grade-II-listed building that faces the Archway Road, just north of the distinctive bridge spanning that road – created in 1813 by John Nash (1752-1835) – and from which the name of the road and the surrounding district is derived.
The church as we see it today was created in several stages during the late 19th and early 20th centuries by three architects: John Dando Sedding (1838–91), Henry Wilson (1864–1934), J. Harold Gibbons (1878-1958). It is a distinctive mix of late Victorian Gothic and early twentieth-century Arts and Craft styles.
The foundation stone of the new church was laid in 1887 and the part-finished buidling was consecrated in 1888, the next stage of work being undertaken by Henry Wilson, one of Sedding’s pupils. However, the west front was not completed until Easter 1914, the work of J. Harold Gibbons. The west front is adorned with a life-size stone Calvary, which led to a noisy Protestant demonstration seeking to stop the dedication of the church later that same year; 20 June 1914.

A disastrous fire on the night of 11 January 1924 entirely destroyed the nave and required a major programme of rebuilding, which was undettaken by J. Harold Gibbons. It was at this time he added the 2-bay organ gallery on the south side of the chancel, and a new Sacristy.
The current pipe organ dates from 1925-6, and was built by the London firm of A. Hunter and Sons of Clapham (London UK). The atractive case – designed by J. H. Gibbons – dominates the south side of the chancel. Although the instrument has remained incomplete for lack of funds it serves well, and sounds impressive in the generous acoustic.
The church contains some fine fittings, artworks and stained glass by – among others – Henry Farmer (fl. early c20), Lawrence King (1907-81), J. Linthout & Co. (Bruges), Margaret A. Rope (1882–1953), Adrian Gilbert Scott (1882–1963), Christopher Whall (1849–1924), Nathaniel Westlake (1833–1921).
In 1930 Gibbons completed the Lady Chapel, with a decorative scheme by Nathaniel Westlake, Henry Wilson, and Christopher Whall.
On 13 October 1957 St. Augustine’s was the venue for the first liturgical performance of the “Twentieth-century Folk Mass” by Rev. Geoffrey Beaumont CR (1904–71), a product of the once influential Twentieth-century Church Light Music Group. According to Beaumont, the composition was the result of a chance conversation with a priest-colleague in London’s then impoverished East End who was deeply concerned that church music was utterly foreign to the majority of people.

That first liturgical performance of Beaumont’s mass-setting was broadcast live by the BBC and caused quite a stir at the time. The Daily Express declared that “this disturbing racket . . . was one of the most incongruous things ever seen on TV”, while the Musical Times dismissed it as music suited to the fetid atmosphere of a night club or cabaret.
This recording (below) was made by the original performers in the run up to the performance at St. Augustine’s: Cantor, John Alldis; Musicians/singers, The Peter Knight Orchestra and Singers; Conductor, Peter Knight; Organist, William Davis.
References
- ‘Adrian Gilbert Scott‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘A Twentieth-century Folk Mass‘, BBC Broadcast Archive/Getty Images. Transmission date: 13 October, 1957. Clip #: BBC_LRP5535HSD. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘A Twentieth-century Folk Mass’ Musical Times. Vol. 98. No. 1378 (Dec. 1957): ‘Editorial’ [by anon], p.662; ‘Review’ by Alan Morris, pp. 671-2.
- Building News, 30 January 1885.
- Building News, [n.d.] January 1912.
- ‘Christopher Whall‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- Church Bells and Illustrated Church News, 30 August 1901.
- ‘Treasure 74: Geoffrey Beaumont and the 20th Century Church Light Music Group – A Recognition of their Contribution to Contemporary Hymnody‘ by Simon Parry. Bulletin of the Hymn Society of Great Britatin and Ireland. 256 (July) 2008, pp.356-60. Accessed 1 April 2017
- ‘George Thalben-Ball‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘Great North Road‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘John Dando Sedding‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘Henry Wilson‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘Hornsey, including Highgate: Churches‘. A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6, Friern Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey With Highgate. (British History Online), accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘John Nash‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘Margaret Agnes Rope‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘Mass music for the Housewives’ Choice crowd‘ by Arnold Hunt. Church Times. 29 Nov 2007. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘Nathaniel Westlake‘, Wikipedia. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘St. Augustine, Archway Road‘, National Pipe Organ Register. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘St Augustine Highgate, Highgate‘, The Church of England: a Chsritian presence in every community. Accessed 1 April 2017.
- St Augustine of Canterbury, Highgate: a short history of the church by Andrew Sanders (London: Church of St Augustine of Canterbury, 1975). PDF.
- Saint Augustine of Canterbury, HIghgate: an illustrated architectural history by Paul Bell (London: Church of St Augustine of Canterbury, 2012). Accessed 1 April 2017.
- ‘Two Works by Harold Gibbons’ by P. M. Stratton. The Architects’ Journal (24 August 1927) 251–252; 263–270.
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