A GUIDE TO ST ANDREW'S CHURCH
Click on the words in blue to see an illustration - some of the files are large and may be slow to download.
St Andrew's was built in 1871-72 at a cost of £6,602, and was consecrated in 1872. The architect was Arthur W. Blomfield, later Sir Arthur and Vice-President of the Royal Institute of British Architects. The tower was built twenty years later at a cost of £1,400: it was completed as a thank-offering for the recovery from illness of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII).
St Andrew's is a Grade II listed building and the only Victorian church in Surbiton which has been left largely untouched. The roof is quite splendid.
The stained glass above the chancel and both in and above the baptistry is original and was designed and produced by Messrs Lavers and Westlake, one of the best known firms at the time. The stained glass windows in other parts of the church were donated later. Brass plates below the windows give more details.
| |
These are the subjects: |
|
Porch: |
Saints John, Barnabas, Nicholas and Alban |
|
Baptistry: |
Baptism |
|
West window: |
Adam and Eve being driven from Paradise;
Abel, Noah, Abraham and Melchisedek |
|
North aisle: |
Women from the Bible - from Sarah to Mary |
|
South aisle: |
Men from the New Testament |
|
East window: |
The passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ |
|
Lady Chapel: |
Christ the Good Shepherd; Mary and Martha |
The
baptistry has a finely designed colour decoration in the roof depicting the story of the Ark, done by Mr Lavers of Lavers and Westlake. The
font was given in 1872.
Walking towards the chancel you can admire the
reredos behind the Altar, a fine piece of Victorian work with angels, lilies and stars.
The excellent organ was originally a Bishop organ which had been entirely rebuilt by A. Hunter and Sons for the church of Holy Trinity, Stroud Green in 1927. It was removed and re-assembled at St Andrew's in 1959, after Holy Trinity had to be demolished because of war damage.
The rood, hanging between the chancel and the Lady Chapel, shows the Crucifixion of Our Lord. The anchor is a symbol of St Andrew the fisherman. The original position of the rood was above the chancel, but structural difficulties made it necessary to remove it. It was put in its present position in 1981.
The church has some beautiful Victorian vestments and altar frontals, some becoming fragile with use. The Lady Chapel furnishings were added in 1924-26 (designed by G.H. Fellows Pryne). The
icon is a copy of the San Damiano Cross from Assisi. The sacrament is reserved in the Chapel: it is for private prayer.
Mostly taken from the leaflet "A simple guide to St Andrew's Church Surbiton", by Anna Meuss and Celia O'Neill, 1992.
