What an awesome church. such a welcoming feel and that mural! I haven't seen anything as wonderful…read moreand awe inspiring in any other church and I have been to so many. The churchyard is kept wild and wonderful too. look for the fab witches marks. The stained glass is perfection. I wish I lived closer.

There's not much I can add to Seaxwyn's review, but this is a lovely little church in a beautiful…read morelocation. Although the structure is heavily Victorianised, there are plenty of historical furnishings to make a visit worthwhile.

St Luke's, with its striking golden stone tower soaring to 142ft (43m), dominates the area around…read moreSydney Street, just off the upper end of the King's Road close to Chelsea Town Hall. It is set in a spacious square, opposite the anonymous brown mass of the modern Royal Brompton Hospital. The need for a new church was identified in the early 19th century as the original Parish Church (now known as Chelsea Old Church) was becoming too small for the area's rapidly increasing population. The new church was designed by James Savage in a grand perpendicular gothic it was, in fact, one of the earliest Gothic revival churches. Consecrated in 1824, it is built in a lovely golden Bath stone and the exterior resembles King's College Chapel, Cambridge. The grand scale reflected the wealth of Chelsea even then the first rector was the brother of the Duke of Wellington, the wonderfully-named Reverend Gerald Valerian Wellesley, and the Earls of Cadogan, who remain patrons of the parish. From Sydney Street, the church is dominated by its tower, which sits above a generous five-arched entrance portico. Behind it, resembling some grand ocean liner, is a high, square nave, flanked by tall aisles and regular flying buttresses. After the exterior, the interior is something of an anti-climax. Originally built as a 'preaching-box', with a small altar, it was re-ordered in a more traditional style in the late 19th century. With the galleries, the church can seat over 850 people. The most striking features, apart form its incredible height (at 60ft, it has the tallest nave of any parish church in London), are the huge window in the east wall, and the wonderful organ in the west, rebuilt in 1932, but incorporating parts of the original. The window is over 500 square feet in area, and was reglazed in 1959 to replace the original destroyed in the Second World War. The colourful design features emblems of the Trinity and Saints. The reredos behind the altar is also attractive, and contains a painting of Christ being taken down from the Cross, by the portrait painter James Northcote (1746-1831). Other fittings of interest include a wonderful eagle lectern, and various flags and memorials to the Punjab Frontier Force, which was based in India from1847 to 1947. The church has a colourful history: Charles Dickens was married here in 1836, two days after the first publication of the Pickwick Papers; the Rector from 1836-1860 was the father of Charles Kingsley, author of the Water Babies, and John Goss, who wrote the well-known hymn 'Praise my soul the King of Heaven'. But the most bizarre incident was associated with the 'Flying Man', Vincent de Groof, in 1874. He had constructed a primitive flying-machine from which he planned to descend to awaiting crowds - from a hot-air balloon. Setting off from nearby Cremorne Gardens, the balloon drifted dangerously towards the tower of St Luke's. The balloonist cut de Groof free, hoping he would land gently in the churchyard, but instead he crashed into Robert Street, and died shortly after. More happily, the church was used to film some of the scenes in the 1995 Disney remake of the film '101 Dalmatians'. Nowadays, the church has a loyal congregation, attracted by the traditional but inclusive Anglican services. The church is also famous for its choir the largest voluntary choir of any London church which sings regularly at services, as well as performing in Cathedrals in the UK and France. More details can be found at: http://www.vinumbonum.org.uk . The church has a ramped access at the front for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Sunday Services: 8h Holy Communion 10.30h Sung Eucharist 18.30h. Choral Evensong (15h in winter) For details of other services, see web-site.

this church is so beautiful and the grounds attached make the perfect place to get away from the…read morehustle and bustle of the king's road. On a sunny day you can buy some stuff form waitrose round the corner have a lovely picnic and finish up with a nice glass of wine at the builder's arms opposite!

After the Romanesque delights of the parish church, the…read moreCemetery Chapel provides a rich contrast. It was donated by the Arts and Crafts luminary George Frederic Watts and his wife Mary. She assembled the designs for the chapel, but much of the decorative scheme of deeply coloured glazed tiles and hand-painted gesso, were made by the villagers under her instruction. It was completed in 1904. The exterior is rich enough, with elaborate terracotta friezes depicting Hope, Truth, Love and Light, and a round-headed doorway with three orders of Celtic style decoration. But the interior takes the breath away. Once your eyes become accustomed to the gloom, the richness of the decoration reveals itself: Celtic and religious symbolism, in flowing Art Nouveau style, with deep reds, blues and greens highlighted in gold. Every square inch of the interior is heavily moulded and painted a true labour of love and dedication. The sanctuary painting by George Frederic Watts (1904) is entitled The All Pervading. The chapel is used only for funeral services, but is open daily for visitors.

We were given wrong information at the Watts Gallery that the chapel closes at 5pm. We drove past…read moreabout 5.30 and it was still open. It is set back within the site of a well tended cemetery, so you may not see much of it from the road. We parked up and walked in. The cemetery is worth a walk round in its own right. However, the Chapel is lovely indeed-a perfect reproduction of a Renaissance chapel. The exterior is covered with wonderful carvings (see photos) and the interior is a riot of thickly painted murals which cover the walls and celing. Inside it is cool and a wonderful place for quiet reflection. If you are going to the Watts Gallery I recommend seeing this at the same time.

Lovely. I just wish you could take photos inside…read more I liked the chapel as a walk-through experience better than the castle itself and the royal apartments and rooms. It is beautiful inside and out, with a few very notable dead royals buried and memorialized there. You will get more out of it as well if you have waited and gotten one of the free audio guides at the entrance.

The visit is included with the admission ticket to Windsor Castle and I would recommend booking in…read moreadvance as lines can be very long and you may not get an entry depending on the time you show up at the entrance. Also included is an audio commentary (in your choice of language), each explanation is around one minute long, perfect to understand what you are looking at. Make sure you check the website for opening hours as some days the castle is open but the chapel is closed and they tend to end the visits early afternoon. Inside, the chapel is a lot more impressive than I expected, much bigger and more like a mini cathedral. Another way to discover it (although you don't see as much) is to attend one of the services sung by the chapel choir, and accompanied by the organ. When we went, the service was happening at 5:15 pm on a Sunday, we had to wait at the gate around 5 pm and it ended at about 6pm. Surprisingly, it was not crowded and it's free. It was an impressive experience, the voices of the singers so powerful and beautiful. Whether you go to the service or not (I recommend you do!), St George's Chapel is worth a visit!

Quaint little church I came while walking to breakfast. Went in to pray and look around…read more Always nice to be welcome into the Lord's House.

St Stephen's is a lovely church only a few minutes' walk from the bustle of Victoria Street, with…read morean active and diverse congregation. Built in 1847-49 by Benjamin Ferrey, a pupil of Pugin, it is an accomplished example of Victorian Neo-Gothic in the 13th century Decorated style. The ragstone exterior encloses a cool, largely whitewashed interior. There is an aisled nave of 5 bays, and a long chancel. A small south chapel, dedicated in 1904, was erected in memory of Angela Tennant, daughter of the first Vicar. This has an elaborate decorated scheme of mosaics in the vaguely pre-Raphaelite style. Other elements of interest include a stained glass window of the Good Shepherd by Morris & Co, designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1890), and an original window of 1850 by Wailes in the south aisle. The spire was damaged by lightning and again during World War II, and shortened in the 1960s because of safety concerns. It was restored to its original height by the addition of a lightweight extension in 1994. The website lists the range of daily services and other activities at this busy church.

This large village church stands near the centre of the…read morepicturesque village of Shere, nestled in a valley close to the ridge of the North Downs. The nave and lower stages of the tower are Norman, built around 1150-90, to which a large south aisle was added in the 13th century. The church was lengthened in the early 14th century, from which period the chancel also dates. The fine north transept window of Curvilinear tracy is 15th century, and the churchyard lych gate is by Lutyens. The outside is dominated by the robust tower, which carries an equally robust broach spire. The south side has a fine Norman door, but the main entrance today is through the west entrance, which has a fine (and heavy) 17th century panelled door, and leads under an 18th century west gallery. Inside, the elegant arcade of octagonal piers separates the nave from the south aisle that is so large is feels like a double nave. The arches through to the chancel are early 14th century replacements, but there is a fine 13th century arch between the south aisle and south chapel with detached marble shafts. The fixtures and fittings are of particular interest. Several windows have fragments of mediaeval glass, and the font of Purbeck marble, with a central stem and four corner shafts, dating to around 1170. The church has some notable brasses: the oldest, dated 1417, is of the rector, Robert Scarlyff, wearing his vestments; on the floor is a large memorial to John Touchet, Lord Audley, (1423-1490). He lies resplendent in full plate armour. Close by is a brass to John Redford (d. 1516) and his wife, with his six children in mourning. On the wall of Lady Chapel is a small brass of a lady, dated 1520. However, of more curious interest is the squint and quatrefoil window on the north wall of the chancel, originally openings to the cell of an anchorite, Christine Carpenter. Anchorites were hermits, often devout teenage girls, walled up (until death) in cells attached to churches. They prayed and gave advice and in return were given food and provided with the sacraments. Christine was interred in 1329, but seems to have left and was ordered to return on 'pain of death' in 1332.

this is a very old church and quite picturesque. It is famous for having an anchorite during the…read more14th century, Christine Carpenter, about whom several movies have been made. The church has also been used in filming many movies so it may seem familiar right away.

St John's lies between Wimbledon and Raynes Park, just below the Ridgeway, and is a good example of…read morea late Victorian neo-Gothic church. The church was built to service the growing commuter population brought to Wimbledon by the London and South-Western Railway. A plot of land was bought in 1867, but a lack of funds meant that the first building was a temporary prefabricated 'iron church'. Made of corrugated iron, it came, according to the church's website, complete with altar and font, illuminated texts all over the windows and two seraphs to each entrance. The present church was begun in 1873 to designs by Thomas Jackson (1835-1924) and consecrated in 1875. Jackson delivered a classic red-brick neo-Gothic church, with a nave, chancel and a large north aisle. From the outside, it is not especially noteworthy, save for the large east window and an impressive north porch, which has Decorated Gothic detailing. The interior space is dominated by the tall single arcade between the nave and north aisle, but the main interest is provided by the fittings and furnishings: there is some lovely stained glass, including a window from the William Morris factory (the figure of Martha is by Edward Burne-Jones, that of Christ by Henry Dearle); a delicate chancel screen; and a reredos in the Lady Chapel (north aisle) by Martin Travers. The organ, installed in 1904 by Hill, Morgan and Beard, is a particularly fine example. The church is the centre of a busy parish life and is a very popular venue for music, thanks to an excellent acoustic.

I'm very lucky because I get to see this amazing building every day, Im not a part of the church,…read morebut I can appreciate the beauty of the building, but for thise who are, this beautiful Victorian Gothic Anglican church that was built in 1864, is a part of the Diocese of London. They have a service every Sunday at 10:00 am. Everyone is welcome, even if you are not religious but you have the spirit for singing. Or just to see it up close, this church is beautiful and worth a look.