Richard
Burton

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former

Haggai 2:9

The post-war era saw a radical shift in architectural approaches towards ecclesiastical architecture. The urban reparations and expansion of London after the blitz demanded the construction of new places of worship, an effort both practical and symbolic in intention. A need to provide religious centres for communities was a prominent concern for the Greater London Authority, borough councils and the urban planners overseeing the development of the city in this period. A new era demanded a new architecture which could bring damaged communities together, and physically manifest a sense of hope and peace for the future.

Concrete and steel gave a new freedom to construction, while new ideas about how congregations could participate in services changed assumptions about traditional layouts, ushering in an era of church architecture with unparalleled variety and innovation. Between 1945 and 1965 over 250 new churches were built in Greater London, undertaken by some of Britain and Europe’s most progressive architects, serving Anglican and Roman Catholic parishioners, new and old communities.