A Walk Around St. Raphael’s Church

BACKGROUND

Alexander Raphael, the son of a very wealthy Armenian merchant, formerly of Madras in India, MP for St. Albans and of owner of Surbiton Hall, built the church entirely at his expense on his estate.  The architect was Charles Parker. The church opened for public worship on 1 September 1850.  Shortly after, Alexander Raphael died and the church passed to his nephew Edward Raphael in 1852.  By 1874, the church had been extensively restored by him. Then, in 1888, it passed to Agnes Louisa Elizabeth, The Countess of Mexborough, née Raphael. The church remained in the possession of the Mexborough family until 1945, when it was sold to what was then the Roman Catholic Diocese [now Archdiocese] of Southwark.

START OUTSIDE WITH THE CHURCH DOORS OPEN

  1. Admire the design of the church and its flanking buildings, including the re-gilded Cross. In 1968 it obtained Grade II* listing. The restoration, which gained a Kingston upon Thames Society’s Townscape Award, was completed in 2012 and met the highest standards, including those of English Heritage and the Victorian Society.  
  2. Alexander Raphael’s memorial tablet above the doors states that that he was the builder of the church, a Papal Knight of St. Sylvester, a philanthropist, a linguist, an MP and a lover of country, justice and freedom, who held an unshakeable Catholic faith.
  3. A tablet to the left of the door reminds us that “My house shall be called the House of Prayer…”  A tablet to the right of the door lists chaplains and parish priests since 1850.

FLOOR TILES

  1. Admire the distinctive floor tiles, especially the seven rose-patterned sections. These were installed as part of the restoration completed in 2012. The sections remind us of the seven sacraments, i.e., baptism, confirmation, holy Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders and matrimony. 

THE NORTH AISLE

  1. The memorial to Anne, Princess Löwenstein-Wertheim. Anne acquired her title by marriage to a Polish nobleman.  She was a daughter of John Savile, 4th Earl of Mexborough and Agnes Louisa Elizabeth Raphael. On 2 September 1927, she attempted to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Sadly, her single engine aircraft, St. Raphael, was lost somewhere between Labrador and Newfoundland.  Anne and her pilots, Captain Hamilton and Colonel Minchen, all perished without trace. St. Raphael Lake in Ontario, Canada, is named after the Saint Raphael aircraft.
  2. The memorial to John Charles George Savile, 4th Earl of Mexborough and his wife Agnes, Countess of Mexborough, Anne Raphael and Edward Raphael together with the 6th Earl of Mexborough and Lady Mary Savile. They are buried in the vault under the high altar.
  3. The baptismal font made of white Sicilian marble with a wooden cover.
  4. The statues representing St Peter [left] The Sacred Heart of Jesus [centre], and St. Paul [right]. The arrangement symbolises Christ supported by the two great pillars of the church, Peter and Paul. These statutes were made by Meyer of Munich.
  5. The statue of St Anthony of Padua holding the Christ child. 
  6. The Ambo or Pulpit made of white Sicilian marble.
  7. The fourteen Stations of the Cross. These assist meditation on the passion and death of Jesus Christ on his journey from the house of Pontius Pilate to Calvary.
  8. The High Altar made of white Sicilian marble. In the gilded Tabernacle the Blessed Sacrament is kept.
  9. The stained glass window, centre panel, illustrates the story of Tobit and the Archangel Raphael from the Book of Tobit in the Old Testament. It is an allusion to the healing power of the Archangel. On the left is Jesus Christ.  On the right is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Alexander Raphael’s coat of arms features Mount Ararat, the place where Noah’s Ark rested after the Flood, Tobias and the Angel and the motto which translates, “In this, conquer”.   This and the crosses symbolise Alexander Raphael’s staunch faith.

FROM THE NAVE, FACE THE WEST SIDE OF THE CHURCH

  1. The organ loft with Alexander Raphael’s coat of arms. The organ is out of use and the unsafeaccess stairway is kept locked.  A fine digital organ is installed in the South Aisle.

THE SOUTH AISLE

  1. The War Memorial [1914-1919] lists the names of 47 men and three women. Most of the men served in the British forces whilst thirteen were Belgian citizens, probably known to Belgian refugees. Miss Florence Smalpage was killed during a German air raid on London, in 1917, by shrapnel from an anti-aircraft gun. The Cunningham sisters were killed in the church of St. Gervais & St. Protais during a German long-range bombardment of Paris in 1918. William Fagan died in 1910 and Reginald Hughes’ name was inserted instead of the name of his brother, Owen Hughes. Francis Evennett, stationed in England, was murdered by a comrade of unsound mind.
  2. The memorial to Captain, The Hon. George Savile. He was a son of the 4th Earl of Mexborough, owned the church from 1898-1937 and lived at Ditton Lodge, Thames Ditton.
  3. Our Lady’s Altar, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is made of finely-carved white Sicilian marble.
  4. Above Our Lady’s Altar – the statues of St. Joseph [left], the Blessed Virgin Mary [centre] and St. John The Evangelist [right], all by Mayer of Munich.

FROM THE SOUTH AISLE, ENTER THE TRIBUNE

  1. This was originally a private area for Alexander Raphael and other owners of the church in which they attended Mass and other Services. Note the fireplace, at one time probably the only part of the church that was heated, and enter Alexander House. 

ALEXANDER HOUSE

  1. Apart from being used as an overspill area for the congregation attending Mass, it is also available for hire for meetings, etc. The dedication plaque can be seen and pictures of royal weddings, etc., are on display in the lobby.
  2. 21. The Library was once a schoolroom without a floor above and open to the rafters.

END OF WALK

https://straphaelsurbiton.org.uk                                      www.kingstonhistoryresearch.co.uk

DAK & JMcC, 21 October 2019    

(for more details A Brief History and Guide an 18 page booklet is available at £2 in the church or by post from St Raphael’s Church, Portsmouth Road, Kingston, KT1 2NA)