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78* Cathedral Thinking

Writer's picture: Dave GobleDave Goble

Updated: Feb 28, 2024

In 1884 the 31 year old Reverend Francis Leith Boyd was appointed the first vicar of St Mary’s in Teddington, with a congregation of 180. Rapid population growth in the area, largely due to the expanding rail network, led Boyd to assume the number of church goers would increase significantly, so he launched an ambitious plan to replace St Mary’s with a much larger and imposing Gothic-style church for a congregation of over six times the size.


Spotted the spider?


The new church was designed by local architect William Niven, who had been a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott. It was built on land about thirty yards across the road from St. Mary’s, with the foundation stone being laid in 1887. Despite stretched funds necessitating de-scope of the original design, the church was dedicated in 1889 and named St Alban the Martyr. Reverend Boyd, his clergy and the congregation would have taken the short walk across Ferry Road to their new place of worship. In that same year the old church of St Mary was closed. Fortunately, although the old building deteriorated, the strength of local support, aligned with the church’s iconic status as one of Teddington’s oldest surviving buildings, saved it from being demolished. Just as well, as in 1936 it was reopened for weekly services as, ironically, St. Alban’s was coming under threat due to high upkeep costs proving increasingly beyond the means of a shrinking congregation. Boyd was spared the ignominy, having left St. Alban in 1908 and taken the role of Vicar of St. Paul’s in Knightsbridge in 1908, where he stayed until he died in 1927 at the age of 74. He is buried in Teddington cemetery.


St Mary’s subsequently regained the status of local parish church and was renamed St Mary with St Alban.


As briefly mentioned, original plans for St. Alban were rather grander than the building we see today, though I feel I should add, for me, the church still cuts an impressive if haunting figure on the landscape. Some actually describe it as “The Cathedral of the Thames Valley” which is tinged with more than a little irony when you consider “Cathedral Thinking” is the concept of planning for, and the pursuit of, an ambitious goal that might require several generations to complete.


But what might have been? With original plans based on the Notre Dame de Paris, arguably the greatest loss was a 200 foot high tower, plans for which became a victim to the strain on funds, making way instead for a relatively inexpensive temporary west wall erected where it would have stood. (Think I might have had a word with the guys in Hampton Hill who were busy actually building a tower for St. James church at exactly the same time - see Post 23 for more). The nave in St. Alban is also shorter than the original design. In 1967 the church closed, and the congregation made their way back across Ferry Road to St Mary's, from whence they came. Presumably due to the passage of time, (about 78 years), age and the significant downward trend in church-going generally would have seen their numbers diminish and they’d have been readily accommodated.

A brief summary of the building work for St. Alban, which spanned many years beyond dedication in 1889, follows:

Most of the stonework is Doulton limestone from Shepton Mallet in Somerset; Corsham limestone from Wiltshire was used for the finer grain material seen internally in partitions.

The east window depicts a figure of God, beneath which stands St. Alban the patron saint, enthroned, with scenes from his life either side. The replacement, from 1952, was made by the William Morris Studio to the design of Frederick Cole.


The north transept, west, shows Joseph’s Dream. The designer is thought to have been the aforementioned Reverend Boyd, but it’s not known for certain. Painted by W.F. Dixon, it was made in 1895.


The north transept, east, features Jonah and the Whale by C.E. Kempe. Modelled on a window in Christ Church, Oxford it was installed in 1896.


The west wall is home to a triple lancet window made c1850 by Ward and Hughes. Originally installed in St Peter’s Church in Islington, it was rescued in 1987 by the London Stained-Glass Repository of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass, (and breathe). It was dismantled and re-leaded for installation when the temporary west wall made way in 1993 for a permanent, if unsympathetic, replacement wall as part of the adaptation of the building for its new use as The Landmark Arts Centre.


Formerly declared redundant and deconsecrated in 1977, the building stood neglected for years, enduring vandalism and exposure to weather. A passionate campaign led by local people eventually succeeded in saving it from demolition, and in the early 1990s it was restored by English Heritage, becoming home to the new community Landmark Arts Centre In 1995.



Inside, facing north-east


The Pulpit


Fortunately preserved, one of the key features of the former church is its pulpit, regarded by English Heritage as a particular treasure. Placement midway down the nave echoes the French style, where initially a simple canopy was erected. In 1902 it was replaced by an intricate design in carved oak, the new canopy being embellished by gilded representations of three orders of angels.



As for the "Cathedral" these days, as The Landmark Arts Centre, operated by an independent charity, it has grown into a successful hub for the local community, offering a variety of activities including arts related classes for children and adults, plus an eclectic performing arts programme encompassing dance, ballet, jazz, blues, classical chamber music and choral music. My wife and I saw Georgie Fame and The Blues Band play there, (not together), and Andy Hamilton who tested out some new comedy material there for a one-man show.

It also attracts the film industry, examples including the feature film Elizabeth for which scenes were filmed here, likewise the TV drama Silent Witness. Pop group A-Ha filmed their ‘The Sun Always Shines on TV’ music video here.


The centre typically hosts four annual arts fairs, and can be hired for private and corporate receptions.


Can't close this post without a photograph of, and a few words on, St. Mary's ...



This photo dates back to around 1900 and looks northwards. St. Alban of the Martyr is out of frame on this side of the road, over the right shoulder of the photographer. St. Mary's dates from the second half of the 13th Century, though no part of the present building pre-dates the 16th Century. The original parish church of Teddington, it lost that position to St. Alban of the Martyr on the dedication of that church in 1889. Like St. Alban of the Martyr, it is Grade II listed. Its most famous vicar was the Reverend Stephen Hales, a scientist whose legacy is the National Physical Laboratory a mile down the road. He is buried here, next to the church tower.

On July 5th 1944 a flying bomb fell on the Warner Brothers’ studio nearby in Broom Road, (later to become Teddington Studios). Collateral damage included the stained glass in the east wall of the church, (facing away from us, rightmost in the photo), which was replaced in 1960.

Happily St. Mary's still stands proud, framed by it's pretty and unspoiled churchyard, offering a mix of traditional and contemporary worship. As mentioned previously, it is known these days by the title it shares with the “cathedral” across the road, namely St. Mary with St. Alban.


Interesting how things change: a swiftly growing and religious population in the late 1800s gives way today to a considerably larger but mainly secular population. St. Mary’s, with its congregation capacity of 180, finds itself presumably, once again, more than adequate; St. Alban of the Martyr on the other hand stands, as a place of worship, like a great skeleton from a distant past.


March 2024: The Landmark continues to thrive as an event centre in and for the community, and just across the road the ancient parish church of St. Mary remains active.


Red arrow: St. Alban of the Martyr

Blue arrow: St. Mary

Pink arrow: Warner Bros. studio, as was

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