The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 3
Allen, Thomas
1827
The French Church.
It is a plain structure in the form of an oblong square. The south side, which abuts on the street, is faced with stone, the basement appears to have been built with the materials of the old church; the superstructure is in stories, made by a string course and consists of a centre with lateral divisions; in the are large arched windows, below which were lintelled entrances, now walled up, a larger entrance having been made beneath and in part occupying the centre window; in the upper story are circular windows to correspond with those described, but rather smaller, all the lower windows are walled up to the springing of the arches. The angles are rusticated, and the elevation finishes with a cornice, in the centre of which is an elliptical pediment. The east front is concealed from general observation; it is built of brick with stone dressings, and contains a large Venetian window between arched and circular ones corresponding with the portion described. The north side of the church has arched windows with circular ones above; this portion is built of brick and plastered. The west end is built against. | |
The interior is plain and neat. There are no columns, and it is roofed in span. The ceiling is horizontal, coved at the sides and pierced with arches above the upper range of windows; in the centre, is a large lantern light of recent construction. A gallery occupies the west, north, and south walls, the front of which is composed of an architrave and denticulated cornice and attic sustained on clustered pillars at the angles, and remarkably slight ones in the intervals with gilt leaved capitals of no regular order ; in the western branch of the gallery is an organ. The altar has a plain screen painted with drapery held back by cherubim and inscribed with the decalogue in French; it partly conceals the Venetian window in the centre of the wall. The pulpit and desks are situated in the front of the rails of the altar, the former is poligonal and has a sounding board and canopy of the same form, it is constructed of oak and richly carved; in a pew beneath the pulpit is a small font. | |
In this ward are several public offices, and halls of companies; the principal object of interest is the extensive pile of buildings known as | |