St Luke's Church, Kew

St Luke's Church, Kew, is a parish church in Kew, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is part of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion and, locally, is a member of Churches Together in Kew.[2] Together with St Philip and All Saints (the Barn Church), it is one of two parishes within the united benefice of Kew, St Philip & All Saints with St Luke. Its vicar, Rev Dr Melanie Harrington, took up the role in June 2021.[3] The church, built in the Gothic Revival style by architects Goldie, Child and Goldie,[4] is also host to the Kew Community Trust and acts as a community centre.[5]

St Luke's Church, Kew
Kew St. Luke
St Luke's Church, Kew
LocationSt Luke’s Church, The Avenue, Kew, Richmond TW9 2AJ
CountryUnited Kingdom
DenominationChurch of England
Websitewww.stlukeskew.org
History
Founded1889
Associated peopleTimothy Beaumont, Baron Beaumont of Whitley
Architecture
Architect(s)Goldie, Child and Goldie
StyleGothic Revival
Years built1889; redesigned 1983
Administration
DioceseSouthwark
ArchdeaconryWandsworth
DeaneryRichmond & Barnes
ParishKew, St Luke[1]
Clergy
Bishop(s)Christopher Chessun
Vicar(s)Rev Dr Melanie Harrington
ArchdeaconJohn Kiddle
Laity
Reader(s)Richard Austen
Michael Tonkin
Churchwarden(s)Irene Stephens and Laura Coughtrie
Parish administratorGuinevere Duff and Irene Stephens

Communications

The parish publishes a magazine, The Link.[6]

History

Kew's population increased considerably when the District line was extended to Richmond and a railway station was opened at Kew Gardens. To meet the needs of the extended parish, a temporary "iron church" (later Victoria & St John's Working Men's Club) was opened in Sandycombe Road. St Luke's Church, in The Avenue, was built to replace it, in 1889.[7]

The large Victorian church, whose initial design plans included a spire that was never built,[7] now has a small tower (accommodating a lift).[7] This was added in 1983 when St Luke's was redesigned to create a smaller space for Christian worship in the former chancel area and to enable the former nave, and a second hall constructed in a loft conversion, to be used for community purposes also.[5][8][9]

Former Liberal Party chairman Timothy Beaumont, Baron Beaumont of Whitley, was priest in charge from 1986 to 1991.[10]

Other uses

The community spaces in the building are currently occupied by the Kew Community Trust. The core activity of the Trust is the Avenue Club, a non-profit making social centre offering a range of recreational activities for the whole community.[5][11]

See also

References
  1. "Kew: St Luke". The Diocese of Southwark. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. "Our Member Churches". Churches Together in Kew. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  3. "Welcome to new clergy Feb 2021". Richmond and Barnes Deanery. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  4. Bridget Cherry; Nikolaus Pevsner (1983). The Buildings of England – London 2: South. London: Penguin Books. p. 504. ISBN 0-14-0710-47-7.
  5. Michael Lowe (March 2017). "Kew Community Trust and the Avenue Club. How we made it to here…..and where next?". Avenue Cub, Kew. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  6. David Blomfield (1994). Kew Past. Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore & Co Ltd. p. 100. ISBN 0-85033-923-5.
  7. Stephen Craven (2009). "St Luke's Church, Kew – chancel". Geograph Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  8. "About Us". St Luke's Church, Kew. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  9. "Obituary: The Rev Lord Beaumont of Whitley". The Daily Telegraph. London. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  10. "Avenue Club, Kew". Avenue Club, Kew. Retrieved 27 March 2015.

51.4739°N 0.2891°W / 51.4739; -0.2891

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