Brentford & Isleworth Friends Meeting House
Isleworth, Greater London
Historic Georgian Meeting House and burial grounds, home to Brentford & Isleworth Quaker Meeting since 1785.
The materials used for the building of St Thomas and the form of its construction were a testbed for Guildford Cathedral. The architect, Sir Edward Maufe, had been appointed to design both buildings; work on St Thomas was completed in 1934, and Guildford was started in 1936. Many of the features of the two neo gothic / art deco buildings are similar. Thus, St Thomas’ has cathedral like proportions and an interior ambience to suit. Reflecting its historic importance and its uniqueness, the building is listed with Grade II* status.
The building is on a northeast axis with a tall, square northeast bell tower. The exterior of the building has simple lines and is constructed of subtly banded, reddish brown bricks. Carved in situ from a single block of limestone, the Calvary by Eric Gill is on the northeast face and incorporates the east window. A carved keystone in the arch of the main entrance is the work of Vernon Hill.
The interior has plain Gothic piers which draw the eyes up to a high fan vaulted ceiling. The vaults and foundations are formed from reinforced concrete, and St Thomas’ was only the second church in the country to be built in this way. The exercise was an experiment with the construction method proposed for Guildford.
Placed centrally at the west end of the nave, is the octagonal stone font, also the work of Vernon Hill. The main windows are of clear handmade leaded glass; Maufe's choice, not to use mass-produced glass, shows the influence of the Arts & Crafts movement.
The Lady Chapel at the northeast end of the building includes a beautiful, carved Madonna and Child, by Vernon Hill, and a painted ceiling by Kathleen Roberts. The adjacent Children’s Chapel includes stained-glass by Maria Forsyth, a painted nativity scene by Elizabeth Starling and wooden carvings by James Woodford.
The motif of Saint Thomas the Apostle, is a fan of three spears with a builder's square. This motif has been incorporated as a recurrent theme into windows and other interior and exterior fittings.