DOES YOUR CHURCH HAVE WORK BY ONE OF THE GREATEST VICTORIAN ARCHITECTS? George Edmund Street Diocesan Church Building Society, and moved to Wantage. The job involved checking designs submitted by other architects, and brought him commissions of his own. Also in 1850 he made his first visit to the Continent, touring Northern France. He later published important books on Gothic architecture in Italy and Spain. The Diocese of Oxford is extraordinarily fortunate to possess so much of his work In 1852 he moved to Oxford. Important commissions included Cuddesdon College, in 1853, and All Saints, Boyne Hill, Maidenhead, in 1854. In the next year Street moved to London, but he continued to check designs for the Oxford Diocesan Building Society, and to do extensive work in the Diocese, until his death in 1881. In Berkshire alone he worked on 34 churches, his contribution ranging from minor repairs to complete new buildings, and he built fifteen schools, eight parsonages, and one convent. The figures for Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire are similar. Street’s new churches are generally admired. They include both grand town churches, like All Saints, Boyne Hill, and SS Philip and James, Oxford (no longer in use for worship), and remarkable country churches such as Fawley and Brightwalton in Berkshire, Filkins and Milton- under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire, and Westcott and New Bradwell in Buckinghamshire. There are still some people for whom Victorian church restoration is a matter for disapproval. Whatever one may think about Street’s treatment of post-medieval work, his handling of medieval churches was informed by both scholarship and taste, and it is George Edmund Street (1824–81) Above All Saints, Boyne His connection with the Diocese a substantial asset for any church to was beyond doubt one of the Hill, Maidenhead, originated in his being recommended have been restored by him. greatest architects of the 19th Berkshire. One of by Benjamin Webb (secretary of We want to draw particular century, not just in Britain, but Street’s finest churches, the Cambridge Camden (later attention to the fittings which he designed in 1854–5. The in Europe. Sir Arthur Blomfield — polychrome brickwork is Ecclesiological) Society) to the Revd another great church architect combined in the chancel William Butler, the well-known Vicar — claimed that he was ‘universally with tiles and alabaster. of Wantage, for the design of his He would not even admitted to be the first architect of Street’s pews and other vicarage in 1849. Butler introduced let his assistants the day’. The Diocese of Oxford is fittings survive. him to Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, extraordinarily fortunate to possess and as a result in 1850 he was design a keyhole so much of his work. appointed architect to the Oxford designed — and it was said that he Above St Mary the Virgin, the architecture of George Edmund would not even let his assistants Fawley, Berkshire. One Street (MIT Press, 1984). design a keyhole. They are of the of Street’s best country In 1998 the Centre for Continuing highest quality in both design and churches, built in 1865–6, Education at the University of it has a powerful apse and execution. tower. Reading published George Edmund We illustrate a few examples. Street: a Victorian architect in Above right St Peter’s, His ironwork is notable, including Berkshire, edited by John Elliott Burnham, Buckingham- his characteristic door-hinges and shire. The church was and John Pritchard, an invaluable altar rails; he used a Maidenhead restored in 1863–4 by introduction and gazetteer. blacksmith called James Leaver. His Street, who designed the The volumes of the Buildings of woodwork, such as Altars, choir-stalls, pews with their striking England series (‘Pevsners’) contain pulpits, screens and pews, is always traceried ends. basic information. The Street entries first-rate. His tile floors (sometimes Right All Saints. Boyne in The Faber Guide to Victorian Hill. The ‘superbly Churches (edited by Peter Howell Street’s handling of modelled tower’ (Paul and Ian Sutton, 1989) were written Joyce), with its striped by Paul Joyce, who knew more about belfry and stone broach- medieval churches Street than anyone. spire. was informed by both Below Assumption of the scholarship and taste Virgin, Leckhampstead, Buckinghamshire. The church was restored in including marble or stone) were 1871-2 by Street. designed with equal care. With careful thought and the input of experienced conservation architects, it is usually possible for the contemporary needs of parishes to be accommodated while retaining Street’s carefully designed and wonderfully crafted fittings. The Victorian Society is the national The Victorian Society wishes charity campaigning for the Victorian and to encourage those considering Edwardian historic environment alterations to those churches The Victorian Society fortunate enough to have work by 1 Priory Gardens Street to think very carefully before LONDON W4 1TT destroying or disposing of any of it. The Society is always willing to help Telephone 020 8994 1019 with information or advice. Web www.victoriansociety.org.uk [email protected] Further reading Registered Charity No. 1081435 The Memoir of George Edmund Street by his son Arthur Edmund (1888) is not easy to get hold of, but an important recent book is David B. Brownlee’s The Law Courts: CHURCHES IN THE DIOCESE OF OXFORD WITH WORK BY G. E. STREET G E Street in Oxford Diocese BERKSHIRE New Bradwell, St James Glympton, St Mary Bray, St Michael Monks Risborough, St Dunstan Great Rollright, St Andrew Brightwalton, All Saints Nash, All Saints Hethe, St Edmund and St George Chaddleworth, St Andrew Newport Pagnell, Sts Peter and Paul Iffley, St Mary Chilton, All Saints Oving, All Saints Little Tew, St John the Evangelist Denchworth, St James Sherington, St Laud Middleton Stoney, All Saints Drayton, St Peter Slough, St Peter, Chalvey Milcombe, St Lawrence Eastbury, St James Soulbury, All Saints Milton-under-Wychwood, St Simon Fawley, St Mary Stewkley, St Michael and St Jude Goosey, All Saints Stoke Poges, St Giles North Leigh, St Mary Lambourn, St Michael Wendover, St Mary Salford, St Mary Lockinge, All Saints Westbury, St Augustine Sandford St Martin, St Martin Maidenhead, All Saints, Boyne Hill Westcott, St Mary Shiplake, Sts Peter and Paul Milton, St Blaise Wexham, St Mary Shipton-under-Wychwood, St Mary North Moreton, All Saints Whitchurch, St John the Evangelist Tackley, St Nicholas Peasemore, St Barnabas Wotton Underwood, All Saints Waterstock, St Leonard Purley, St Mary Westcote Barton, St Edward the Sandhurst, St Michael OXFORDSHIRE Confessor Shottesbrooke, St John the Baptist Oxford, Jesus College Chapel Wheatley, St Mary Speen, St Mary Oxford, St Ebbe Witney, St Mary Stanford-in-the-Vale, St Denys Oxford, St Michael Steventon, St Michael Oxford, St Thomas Sunningdale, Holy Trinity Oxford, St James, Cowley Tilehurst, St Michael Ascott-under-Wychwood, Holy Trinity Uffington, St Mary Barford St John, St John Wantage, Sts Peter and Paul Bloxham, St Mary Warfield, St Michael Bloxham, All Saints School Chapel Watchfield, St Thomas Brize Norton, St Britius West Challow, St Laurence Burford, St John the Baptist West Ilsley, All Saints Cuddesdon, All Saints White Waltham, St Mary Cuddesdon College Chapel Winkfield, St Mary Deddington, Sts Peter and Paul Drayton St Leonard, St Leonard Below Assumption, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Leckhampstead. The Elsfield, St Thomas of Canterbury Addington, St Mary strikingly individual pews Enstone, St Kenelm Ashley Green, St John the Evangelist are characteristic of Filkins, St Peter Aston Abbotts, St James Street. Fritwell, St Olave Beachampton, Assumption Bierton, St James Bradenham, St Botolph Burnham, St Peter Chalfont St Giles, St Giles Chalfont St Peter, St Peter Cheddington, St Giles Coleshill, All Saints Colnbrook, St Thomas Cuddington, St Nicholas Denham, St Mary Eton College Chapel Fingest, St Bartholomew Fulmer, St James Hardwick, St Mary Hedsor, St Nicholas High Wycombe, All Saints High Wycombe, St Anne, Wycombe Marsh Hulcott, All Saints Ivinghoe, St Mary Leckhampstead, Assumption Lillingstone Dayrell, St Nicholas Longwick-cum-Ilmer, St Peter Marlow, All Saints Middleton, All Saints.