Architectural Drawing
1988-1993 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Located in a residential area of Harringay, North London, St Paul’s was designed by Peter Jenkins between 1988 and 1993 to replace a Victorian Gothic Revival church (built 1890-1) which was destroyed by fire on Ash Wednesday 1984.
Jenkins’ church combines traditional liturgical forms with contemporary design. The plan of the church is traditional, being narrow and rectangular with the entrance at the west end and the altar at the east. This was in part dictated by the confines of the site, but also by the church’s Anglo-Catholic liturgical tradition which preferred an axial, processional plan. This traditional plan is in contrast to the majority of contemporary churches, which locate congregations around a central altar in order to emphasise the participatory aspect of the Communion.
In scale, Jenkins’ design echoes that of its Victorian predecessor, which was built to a vast scale, able to seat 900, and visually dominated the area’s skyline. Despite being a much smaller church in capacity, seating just 140, Jenkins has maintained the church’s visual dominance, making it an architectural and spiritual focal point in the surrounding area. This aspect of the design generated serious opposition from the local council, which argued – unsuccessfully – that the new church should blend in with the surrounding architecture.
Jenkins’ church combines traditional liturgical forms with contemporary design. The plan of the church is traditional, being narrow and rectangular with the entrance at the west end and the altar at the east. This was in part dictated by the confines of the site, but also by the church’s Anglo-Catholic liturgical tradition which preferred an axial, processional plan. This traditional plan is in contrast to the majority of contemporary churches, which locate congregations around a central altar in order to emphasise the participatory aspect of the Communion.
In scale, Jenkins’ design echoes that of its Victorian predecessor, which was built to a vast scale, able to seat 900, and visually dominated the area’s skyline. Despite being a much smaller church in capacity, seating just 140, Jenkins has maintained the church’s visual dominance, making it an architectural and spiritual focal point in the surrounding area. This aspect of the design generated serious opposition from the local council, which argued – unsuccessfully – that the new church should blend in with the surrounding architecture.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Ink and pencil on tracing paper |
| Brief description | Design for lettering in Greek for the foundation stone at the foot of the east wall, for St Paul's Church, Harringay, London, by Peter Jenkins of Peter Inskip + Peter Jenkins Architects, ink and pencil on tracing paper, London, 1988-1993 |
| Physical description | Setting out drawing on tracing paper of the lettering in Greek for the foundation stone at the foot of the east wall. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Peter Jenkins |
| Object history | The text is taken from the first epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians (2:20), ‘Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone’. This text was proposed by Peter Jenkins and approved by the late Father John Seeley. It was translated from Greek and edited by Father Christopher Back also of the Diocese of Edmonton. |
| Historical context | Setting out drawing for the monumental mason. |
| Summary | Located in a residential area of Harringay, North London, St Paul’s was designed by Peter Jenkins between 1988 and 1993 to replace a Victorian Gothic Revival church (built 1890-1) which was destroyed by fire on Ash Wednesday 1984. Jenkins’ church combines traditional liturgical forms with contemporary design. The plan of the church is traditional, being narrow and rectangular with the entrance at the west end and the altar at the east. This was in part dictated by the confines of the site, but also by the church’s Anglo-Catholic liturgical tradition which preferred an axial, processional plan. This traditional plan is in contrast to the majority of contemporary churches, which locate congregations around a central altar in order to emphasise the participatory aspect of the Communion. In scale, Jenkins’ design echoes that of its Victorian predecessor, which was built to a vast scale, able to seat 900, and visually dominated the area’s skyline. Despite being a much smaller church in capacity, seating just 140, Jenkins has maintained the church’s visual dominance, making it an architectural and spiritual focal point in the surrounding area. This aspect of the design generated serious opposition from the local council, which argued – unsuccessfully – that the new church should blend in with the surrounding architecture. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | STP(A)45 - Previous number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.144-2022 |
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| Record created | June 10, 2019 |
| Record URL |
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