Western Doorway of St Mary's Roman Catholic pro-Cathedral Church (1867), designed by George Goldie

Western Doorway

George Goldie

1867

St Mary's Roman Catholic pro-Cathedral Church

Kensington, London

Woodcut by O. Jewitt from Eastlake, facing p. 350

"The interior is remarkable for the height of its nave, which is provided with a clerestory and unpierced triforium. The nave arcade is pointed, but the arch soffits are flat and simply enriched by a single bead moulding at the edge. The shafts are cylindrical, about two feet in diameter, and of polished granite, divided at about half their height by a richly-moulded stone band." [Eastlake's commentary continues below]

Image scan and text George P. Landow

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The abaci and large boldly under cut foliage of the capitals are decidedly French in character. The carving of these features, as indeed throughout the church, is executed with remarkable vigour, and is a striking contrast to the small frittered style of work which passed for decorative sculpture in Pugin's days, and which in a town church, where dust and soot quickly accumulate, is for obvious reasons unsuitable. The roof, which is ceiled, follows the outline of a trefoil-headed arch — a form not often adopted, but here peculiarly effective. The bays of the south aisle are recessed for altars and lighted by circular windows, each under a pointed arch. The aisle walls are of brick, plastered internally. This fact, together with the pure whiteness of the stone-work, gives the interior a somewhat cold appearance, which will no doubt be removed in time by fresco painting or other chromatic decoration. There are many incidents in the design of this church — such as the corbelling out of the chancel arch — which are very ingenious and original. Every detail throughout the work — even to the novel gas-standards [i.e., for lighting] — bears evidence of artistic care, and though purists may regret the rendering of groins in plaster, and the unorthodox position of the organ-loft, it would be manifestly unfair to hold the architect responsible for conditions of arrangement and economy, against which/as we know, professional protests are usually of small avail. [349-50]

References

Eastlake, Charles L. A History of the Gothic Revival. London: Longmans, Green; N.Y. Scribner, Welford, 1872. [Copy in Brown University's Rockefeller Library]

Last modified 9 February 2008