The local landmark between Kilburn and Willesden

Chrich Church is a stunning landmark over Brondesbury looking down to Kilburn.

Work on the Church started in 1865 and it is a classic of it's time - a daughter church of St Mary's, Willesden, the church was opened by the Bishop of London on 21st November 1866.

It was widely acknowledged as a local landmakr and in the centenary of Michael Faraday's discovery of electricity was lit up in 1931.

Victorian fervour on Carlton Vale

I thought I had featured this little gem but looking back over the blog it seems I haven't.

It's West Kilburn Baptist Church and is located on Carlton Vale - right at the outer reaches of the local patch.

http://www.westkilburn.org/

The church is a great piece of confident mid Victorian religious architecture dating to 1865. Solid, gothic (but not dark) it retains the proseletysing characteristics that saw it set up. The accepted version is that it grew up and drew it's congregation from the many people located nearby working on the railway developments in the local area.

I managed to get inside the other month when out and about with Cllr Anthony Dunn and the original features are still there in full glory.

The Foundation Stone was laid on 23 March 1865. As was building tradition - dating back centuries - coins of the Realm bearing the portrait of the then-current monarch Queen Victoria - one shilling, one sixpence, one halfpenny - were laid with the foundations along with the text, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11).

A Poster announcing the opening of the New Baptist Chapel dates this precisely to 3 August 1865. The church record show that the costs were high and reached £1,250.

Anthony and I were lucky enough to speak with the Pastor Peter Law and he has his own website here:

http://www.plaw.me.uk/index.php