Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/605

LONDON 599 ip's, Queen's road, Battersea park ; St. Peter's, Harrow road; and St. Columba's, Kingsland road, the largest and finest of the many new brick churches. St. Stephen's, S. Hampstead, is rather a picturesque building, and St. Jude's, S. Kensington, accommodates 1,600 persons. St. Saviour's, for the deaf and dumb, at the corner of Queen street, Oxford street (opened in 1873), is smaller, but of striking appearance, being of red brick and stone, a Maltese cross in plan, an octagon above, and with groined ceiling and a tall roof. St. Luke's, Redcliffe square, S. Kensington, will accommodate over 1,000 persons; and St. Patrick's, Cromwell road, is a spacious Romanesque edifice, completed in 1874. The architecture of the Oongregationalists ranks next to that of the established church, and among their new churches in course of completion (1874) are the "Memorial hall," Farringdon street ; the "City temple," near St. Andrew's church, Holborn ; and Christ church, Westminster bridge road. The state- ly new Marylebone Presbyterian church was opened in 1874. Among the conspicu- ous new chapels of the Wesleyan Methodists, one of the largest is near Highgate hill, and one of the most orna- mental is Barry road chapel, Peckham rise. Other recent places of worship are St. Agnes, Kennington park, and All Hallows, near Bow station, the latter the first of three new churches to be erected from the proceeds of the site of All Hallows, Mark lane. The reconstruction of the well known Hampstead church was proposed in 1874, and the same year witnessed, along with many other demolitions, that of St. James's, Duke's place ; the bodies buried there were removed to Ilford cemetery, and its monu- ments to St. Catharine Cree, Leadenhall street, to which church the parish of St. James, is now affiliated. But however great the vari- ety and the interest of the many churches of London, they are all eclipsed by St. Paul's ca- thedral and Westminster abbey. The former stands on the site of old St. Paul's, the origin of which is traced back to the beginning of the 7th century, and which was destroyed by the great fire of 1666. The present cathedral was completed in 1710. (See CATHEDKAL.) Among its monuments are those of Nelson, John How- ard, Dr. Johnson, and Sir Charles Napier. In the crypt are the tombs of Nelson and Wel- lington. The great memorial in honor of the latter is in course of completion (1874). Rey- nolds, Turner, and other illustrious painters, and many eminent persons, are also buried here. Under the dome is the "whispering gallery," communicating with the stone gallery on the outside of the dome, whence the outer golden gallery at the apex is reached, which affords a noble view of the metropolis and its vicinity. St. Paul's Cathedral. The whole ascent is by 616 steps, of which the first 260 are comparatively easy and well lighted. In the S. W. tower are the clock room and the great bell, the diameter of which is about 10 ft. The restoration of St. Paul's after Wren's original designs for the internal decoration has been projected for several years past ; the fund for that purpose was raised to 60,600 by con- tributions on occasion of the national thanks- giving for the recovery of the prince of Wales in 1872, when an imposing ceremony of thanks- giving on the part of the queen and the prince took place here (Feb. 17). Many improve- ments have already been made, and others are in progress. The annual singing of 5,000 me-