Brompton Oratory, London

This is not Italy : it's London! Strictly speaking this church  should not be on this blog because it's 19th century! It is of course  Brompton Oratory, next to the Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington. Sometimes called the London Oratory, the proper title is the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is the home of the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in London but is also a parish church for the neighbourhood. See the post on the Chiesa Nuova in Rome for more about the Oratorians and St Philip Neri.

I could not resist covering this remarkable building alongside its real Baroque forebears. It is certainly  monumental,  but perhaps because it is set against the even more monumental V&A, it may not get the attention it deserves. Its exterior is  wholly uncharacteristic for this country, and the inside is even more foreign. It is like being transported to Italy, and yet something is not quite right ....I have always found the interior rather dark or gloomy.  Impressive and prayerful definitely. Lacks the warmth and sunshine of Italy of course! Maybe I have never visited on a really sunny day...  There are a few other features which grate for me : the modern doors on the facade are unfortunate and the wooden floor inside does not quite fit. Otherwise I am in Baroque heaven - in this country!

 

Frederick William Faber (1814-63) and John Henry Newman (1801-90), although both originally Anglican priests, are the key figures in the establishment of an Oratory presence in England. Faber had translated a biography of Philip Neri and set up a community  at Cotton Hall near Birmingham, Newman  and his followers had gone to Rome and came back in Dec. 1847 to set up an Oratory in London. Faber joined them and for a while it was one community. In 1849 it divided again with Newman in Birmingham and Faber setting up in King William Street, off the Strand. In 1853 a property was found in Brompton. A new house and temporary church were ready for use by 1854. The church could hold 1200 and was enlarged in 1858 and stood until 1880. Meanwhile the Silver Jubilee of the Congregation in 1874 resulted in a   magnificent donation of £20,000 from the Duke of Norfolk. 

A recent convert with the unprepossessing name of Herbert Gribble (1847-94) sent in a design in 1876 for a new church. Eventually a competition was held with the distinguished architect Alfred Waterhouse as judge, and Gribble's design won. The foundation stone was laid in 1880   with consecration , minus outer dome and facade, in 1884. The facade was added 1890-3 without the two towers of the original design.. The outer dome in 1895-6 to a higher design than originally envisaged.

The interior does not follow Gribble's original intentions (particularly the baldacchino on the high altar) and is the result of several architects. I think it goes well beyond the idea of pastiche. Fortunately the Fathers were able to acquire suitable 17th and 18th century furnishings. Most important artistically are the marble statues of the 12 Apostles by the Sienese sculpter Giuseppe Mazzuoli. Originally in Siena Cathedral they found their way to a warehouse in Genoa in 1895 and were purchased. The Lady altar came from the Chapel of the Rosary in the Dominican church, Brescia  and dates from 1693.Always seen with candles lit by the faithful, this is one of my highlights. Statues of Saints Pius V, St Rose of Lima and St Catherine of Siena were also acquired.

Nave with organ gallery on left and main entrance/exit in backgound

Lady altar

The Chapel of St Wilfrid is a particularly attractive part of the Orator, in my opinion. It was given         as a memorial to Father Faber. His patron had been St Wilfrid. The 18th century high altar came originally from the monastic church of St Remi in RocheTfort, Belgium. There is also an altar to the English Martyrs with a triptych above done by Rex Whistler in 1938.

English martyrs by Rex Whistler

Chapel of St Wilfrid

Sanctuary and high altar

The sanctuary is very large and contains seven-branched candle-sticks, copied from those in Jerusalem on the Arch of Titus in Rome, and designed by William Burges (1827-81). This sanctuary makes a wonderful setting for the ceremonies throughout the Church's year.

The organ dates from 1954 and was designed by Ralph Downes, who was to go on to do the Royal Festival Hall and St Albans Cathedral organs in later years.

Finally this sign amused me : No Photos, No Filming, No Food and Drink, No Smoking, Men take your hats off, Mobile Phones on mute, Keep your buggy and scooter with you at all times. CCTV on all the time. (You are being watched!)