An introduction to Gothic Revival

St Mary Magdalene’s is a stunning Grade I listed example of Gothic Revival architecture. It was designed by George Edmund Street at the height of his career, when Gothic Revival was at the centre of a movement to bring the architecture of the medieval period back into modern building.

The style is easy to recognise: pointed arches, soaring vertical lines, steep roofs, intricate stonework, decorative tracery and richly detailed interiors. Gothic Revival architects also drew inspiration from the natural world, using leaves, flowers and other organic forms in their decoration. Colour and symbolism were important too, reflecting the richness of medieval churches.

For its nineteenth-century supporters, Gothic was more than a style. They saw medieval architecture as an expression of honest religion, honest craftsmanship and honest construction. Rather than disguising how a building was made, Gothic Revival celebrated materials and workmanship, while creating spaces that encouraged the eye and mind to look upwards.

From the mid-nineteenth century, Gothic Revival became particularly associated with the Church of England. By around 1850, it had become the dominant style for new Anglican churches, and architects such as Street helped establish it as a powerful expression of Victorian religious architecture.

Anglo-Catholicism

St Mary Magdalene’s is an Anglo-Catholic church. This means it belongs to a tradition within the Church of England that places a strong emphasis on its Catholic heritage. Anglo-Catholic worship is often rich in colour, music and ceremony, making use of candles, incense, singing and beautiful vestments.

At the heart of this tradition are the sacraments especially Holy Communion, which is understood as a central way of encountering God. Anglo-Catholics also have a particular devotion to the Virgin Mary and the saints, and believe that worship should involve all the senses as well as the mind: what you see, hear and smell can all help create a sense of the sacred.

In the nineteenth century, this way of worshipping was highly controversial. Many people believed that Anglo-Catholics were bringing Roman Catholic practices back into the Church of England, and some churches experienced fierce opposition and even riots.

Anglo-Catholic churches were often built in some of the poorest and most overcrowded parts of Victorian cities. Their clergy believed that these communities deserved beautiful churches and rich, meaningful worship. But their work did not stop at the church door. They sought to care for the whole person, often running schools, clubs, social projects and other activities to improve life in their neighbourhoods.

That idea of serving the whole person continues at St Mary Magdalene’s today. The building was created to be part of everyday community life not simply a place people visited for an hour on a Sunday. Today, alongside being a working church, it remains a place for gathering, learning, eating and meeting others.