Welcome to St Matthew's church, right in the centre of Brixton
St. Matthew’s Church, situated in the London Borough of Lambeth, erected in accordance with the Church Building Act of 1818.
Church History
Industrial Revolution
Following the industrial revolution many workers migrated towards the newly industrialised cities, and what was then the rural suburb of Brixton. This led to overcrowding in some parish churches, encouraging some inhabitants to worship in non-conformist churches such as the Quakers and Methodists. The Government, in an effort to reduce the likelihood of British repetition of the French Revolution considered that widespread attendance at an Anglican Church was the best way to reduce dissent among the populace.
The Church Building Act of 1818 allowed for the building of churches in parishes where a quarter of the population could not all fit into the local church at once. £1m (about £50m in today’s money) was provided.
The Rush Common Act had allowed for the building of St Matthew’s Road and Effra Road, and left a triangle of land suitable for a church, but it had banned building on the land, so another Act, known as the 1821 Rush Common Amendment Act was passed to allow for the Building of St Matthew’s Church. Excavations were made before Christmas 1821, but the foundation stone was laid by Dr Charles Manners-Sutton, Archbishop of Canterbury, on 1st July 1822.
The consecration
On 21 June 1824 the building was consecrated. The consecration was solemnised by the Bishop of Winchester, Dr George Tomline.
The building contract had been for £15,192 but the final cost was £16,089. The commissioners paid £7,917 with parishioners making up the remainder. There was seating in the new building for 904 in the pews, which were paid for, and 1022 in the free seats allowing a total seating capacity for 1926.
The building is in Greek Doric style which was becoming increasingly popular at the time for trustworthy public buildings such as banks and courthouses. The tower is on the eastern side of the church, giving added interest but more importantly reducing the likelihood of the building sinking into what was then marshland, surrounded by osier beds
Church Schools
The church built and funded two schools on St Matthew’s Road. One for boys and one for girls. These schools became state aided after 1920, and remained until after the Second World War
Graveyard
The graveyard surrounding the church was closed to new burials. It was thought that burying people in the middle of a populated area might have been one of the causes of the cholera epidemic. Following 1853, the South London metropolitan cemetery in West Norwood was used by the parish.
Rev Dr John Vaughan
The Rev Dr John Vaughan – who, although loved by his congregation, was despised by members of the community who burnt effigies of him outside his home – was found not guilty at the Old Bailey for double charging for burials.
Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Van Gogh lived in Brixton for about a year, and possibly attended the church.
William Ward
William Ward, Brixton resident and philanthropist died, and was buried in a large tomb in front of the church. It was later restored.
Electric Lighting
Electric lighting was introduced to the church, making it the first established place of worship to have electric lighting in Britain.
Stained Glass Window
A stained glass window was installed in the eastern side of the building and remains there today, although it is now hidden from public view.
Rev Nathaniel Arthur Garland
After an astonishing 42 years as vicar, the Rev Nathaniel Arthur Garland became ill and retired. He was succeeded by Rev Dr William Douglas Springett.
Succession
The Rev Dr Willam Springett was succeeded by Rev Arthur Waldren who become the fifth vicar of St Matthew’s.
Succession
Rev Arthur Waldren was succeeded by Rev Arthur Reginald Kemble Wells
Succession
The Rev Arthur Wells was succeeded by the Rev Leslie George Mannering to become the seventh vicar of St Matthew’s.
Rev Leslie Mannering
The Rev Leslie Mannering wanted to help his congregation, in his words, ‘to get a move on spiritually’. He began to offer a monthly leaflet of daily Bible readings, coupled with a midweek discussion group and the encouragement to pray for the parish. This so transformed the spiritual life of St Matthew’s Church that before long other churches were asking for copies of the leaflets for their own congregations. He began to publish his readings.
Today, almost 100 years later, the Bible Reading Fellowship is a thriving charity in Oxfordshire with an annual turnover of £1.8m supporting schools, churches, children and adults through initiatives such as messy church and Barnabas in Churches
100th Year of the Church’s Existence
The church held a Week of Witness to celebrate the 100th year of the church’s existence. The vicar wrote a book about the history of the church, ‘Brixton Then and Now’, (a copy of which is upstairs in the local history section of Brixton Tate Library L942.165 BRI)
Crypt
Parts of the crypt were altered and improved to allow more space for groups such as the scouts in addition to the church hall at Talma Road.
Historic Interest
The building was listed for its special architectural or historic interest.
The Churchyard
The Northern part of the churchyard was given to Lambeth Council on the condition that it was used as a public garden, and “that nuisance be prevented and order preserved therein and that interference with the performance of divine worship in the said church of St. Matthew shall be prevented and in particular will provide in such bylaws that no public meeting for the discussion of political religious trade or social questions or other matters of controversy shall be permitted in such garden.”
The council at first objected to the conditions, stating that the other Waterloo Churches had given up their churchyards without similar provision, but eventually agreed to their inclusion.
Peace Garden
The southern part of the peace garden was given to Lambeth Council with the same conditions attached, and also rights of passage for the vicar and persons authorised by him.
Windrush Generation
Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s Brixton became home to many people who had moved to London from the Caribbean. Early Caribbean worshippers remember a frosty reception at first. By the 1970s a significant number of the congregation had family roots in the Caribbean or West African countries. Clyde Mayers a longstanding Church Warden in the 1970s was part of this generation, from Barbados.
Leonardo Da Vinci
A copy of Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ which was displayed behind the altar was vandalised. The vicar at the time, the Rev Norman Hill, was reported to be furious. “We asked the council to take over the grounds to allow people the opportunity to use them, but it seems we did the wrong thing”, he further surprised his congregation that same year by announcing that the church was too large and should be pulled down. “It seems quite wrong that a comparatively small number of dedicated people should have the responsibility of maintaining this large building”, he said.
John Major and Norma Johnson
John Major and Norma Johnson were married in the church.
Conversion of the Building
By the early 1970s the huge space inside the church originally designed to seat up to two thousand worshippers was increasingly difficult to heat and maintain. A plan was made to convert the inside of the church to create a range of spaces to be available for rent to a variety of groups in the Brixton community.
St Matthews Meeting Place
The St Matthew's Meeting Place Trust was established, acting on the terms of a faculty granted by the Bishop of Southwark.
The trust was chaired by the vicar, Rev Bob Nind, and included representatives from Lambeth Council and groups such as the Churches Youth Project.
Work started to convert the building to public community meeting space. Other than a small chapel, the other parts of the church were deconsecrated and available for hire. Many new spaces were created, including in the crypt and new upper floors which included a large hall and an amphitheatre. St Matthews Church joined other users on an equal footing as part of a management committee.
New Railings
New railings were erected around the Peace Garden to replace the concrete posts and fence which had served as a temporary measure after the original railings had been removed during the 1940s to ‘aid the war effort’.
Meeting Place
A wide range of activities happened on a weekly basis in St Matthews Meeting Place including playgroups, youth clubs, Brixton Society meetings and literacy classes as well as one off events such as concerts. St Matthews Church used different spaces for worship within the building as the conversion continued. The New Testament Church of God led by Hubert and Esme Beswick also worshipped in the building throughout this time.
Charity
The charity managing the building collapsed.
Another legal change
The whole of the building was handed back to St Matthews Church. The Church Commissioners agreed that:
“The building and the land annexed or belonging therto shall be appropriated to use by the Parochial Church Council of the said parish, for any ecclesiastical purpose of the parish and for social and community purposes and for purposes ancillary thereto”
The Brix
The Brix Charity stepped in to run the building and began major repairs and refurbishment throughout the building.
Church Space
A church space was created with the entrance being the central doors. Two spiral staircases were installed up to a new gallery area. The staircase and lift were enclosed and clad with timber. The chapel which was retained during the conversion was redecorated. The new space was set up for worship and remains in a similar pattern to this day.
Nightclubs
The upper space was rented to the club, Mass and the crypt space to Bah Humbug, a restaurant and bar.
Parishes Merge
The nearby St Jude's Church closed, and the two parishes were merged to form the Parish of St Matthew with St Jude. The enlarged parish includes St Jude's Primary School in Herne Hill.
The current vicar Revd Stephen Sichel took up post in this year.
New tenants
At around this time the school of Communication began to rent the upper space. The popular tapas restaurant Gremio de Brixton took over the crypt space.
The PCC
The PCC decided to wind-up ‘The Brix at St Matthew’s’ and resume management of the whole building,
To this day the congregation continue to worship in St Matthew’s using the space at the west of the building.