England


London


Christ Church Mayfair






 

Summary Christ Church Mayfair is a Grade II listed Victorian Gothic church in central London, originally built in the 1860s and revitalised in the early 2000s. Designed by F. & H. Francis, its architecture features a timber barrel-vaulted roof, reticulated tracery, stained glass by Clayton and Bell and R. L. Hesketh, and a commemorative reredos honouring Thomas Henry Hope. Though its interior has been simplified for contemporary worship, the church retains its historic baptismal font, organ, and symbolic layout. Today, it serves a diverse community of students, professionals, and families, emphasizing Bible teaching, discipleship, and gospel outreach within the Co-Mission network.

Christ Church Mayfair is located at the junction of Down Street and Brick Street in Mayfair.  

 

Originally opened in 1865 as Christ Church Down Street, serving the Anglican community in Mayfair. It was part of the Church of England’s efforts during the Victorian era to provide worship spaces in rapidly developing urban areas. 

Like many central London churches, it experienced a decline in attendance through the 20th century. By the 1990s, the church was closed for Anglican worship, reflecting broader trends of urban depopulation and secularisation.

The site was revitalised when a congregation from St Helen’s Bishopsgate - a prominent evangelical church began holding services there under the name The Bible Talks. In 2004, a second service was launched specifically for a new congregation, and the name Christ Church Mayfair was adopted, marking its rebirth as an evangelical church. Today it is part of the Co-Mission network, Christ Church Mayfair is known for its strong Bible teaching, outreach, and discipleship focus.

The church’s architecture is a blend of Victorian Gothic design and adaptive reuse, reflecting both its 19th-century origins and its evolving role in London’s spiritual landscape.

Located in the Mayfair Conservation Area, it was, on 14 November 1985, officially designated a Grade II listed building by Historic England to recognizes its architectural and historic significance - particularly its Decorated Gothic Revival style, designed by F. & H. Francis in the 1860s. The listing protects key features such as: The ragstone exterior and reticulated window tracery; The timber barrel-vaulted roof and naturalistic leaf capitals; the Stained glass by Clayton and Bell and R. L. Hesketh and the Arts and Crafts metalwork and commemorative reredos

Original designed by Architects F. & H. Francis, known for their ecclesiastical work in the Gothic Revival style, the building has reticulated window tracery, pointed arches, and a rugged ragstone façade typical of mid-Victorian Anglican churches.
 
Its interior consists of a nave which is a single, elongated space with a timber barrel-vaulted roof, typical of mid-19th-century Anglican churches. 

 

It has a two-bay north-east transept. Originally featuring polychromatic brick and stonework, this has now largely been whitened over, creating a clean, bright atmosphere that supports modern worship and preaching.

It contains a timber barrel-vaulted roof supported by stone columns with naturalistic leaf capitals, echoing medieval craftsmanship and the Gothic Revival’s love of organic detail. 

 

The nave has been adapted for contemporary evangelical worship with the traditional pews having been replaced by movable seating, allowing flexibility for services, events, and small groups.

A raised platform at the front serves as a pulpit and music area, emphasising preaching and congregational singing.

 

The church no longer has a pulpit as a visual or functional centrepiece, today, the pulpit area has been adapted for flexibility. Instead of a fixed, elevated pulpit, Christ Church Mayfair uses a raised platform or lectern, allowing for clear sightlines and acoustics, integrated with music and multimedia. This shift reflects the church’s emphasis on expository preaching, accessibility, and engagement - hallmarks of evangelical worship which prioritises clarity and accessibility.

The original altar was likely part of a richly decorated chancel, typical of mid-Victorian Anglican churches. Today, the altar area is simplified to suit evangelical practice, emphasising preaching and congregational worship over liturgical ceremony. 

A reredos commemorating Thomas Henry Hope of Deepdene remains, hinting at the church’s 19th-century heritage and patronage. The reredos is in fact a surviving architectural and devotional feature from its original 19th-century design, offering a quiet but dignified presence behind the altar. Created by F. & H. Francis, the church’s original architects, the reredos was illustrated in The Builder magazine on 27 April 1867, showcasing its Gothic Revival craftsmanship. Thomas Henry Hope was a notable patron, anchoring the altar with both personal and historical resonance.  The reredos includes carved stone panels with figural and symbolic motifs, such as crosses, angels, or foliage.

 
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Although the church retains a pipe organ, consistent with its Grade II listing and Victorian design, it is not the focal point of worship today, the organ may still be used for traditional hymns or special services, though most regular worship features contemporary music, with bands and vocalists leading from the front, blending modern sound with historic space.

 

The baptismal font at Christ Church Mayfair is an enduring feature of its Victorian ecclesiastical heritage, though it now plays a more symbolic role within the church’s evangelical framework. Installed during the church’s original construction in the 1860s, the font was designed in keeping with Gothic Revival principles. Carved from stone, it is octagonal in shape and positioned near the entrance to symbolise initiation into the Christian faith. Fonts of this era often featured foliate carvings, tracery panels, or inscriptions, and were elevated on a pedestal to emphasise their sacramental importance.

 

The stained-glass windows of the church are understated yet historically rich, quietly illuminating the church’s Victorian Gothic heritage even as its worship style has evolved.  The east window and north-east transept windows are attributed to Clayton and Bell, one of the most prolific stained glass studios of the 19th century. Their work is known for vivid colours, flowing Gothic tracery, and biblical storytelling which feature scenes from the life of Christ, angels, saints, and symbolic motifs like lilies, vines, and crosses. Rich jewel tones - especially reds, blues, and golds – are set within Gothic frames.

 
 

The nave windows, added in 1906, are by R. L. Hesketh, contributing a slightly later Arts and Crafts aesthetic - more stylized, with softer lines and a warmer palette.