The very unique gouged building in London

“The developer originally wanted to fill the whole site and bring the building right up to the street edge,” says Father Christopher Pearson, priest of the Church of Most Precious Blood. “But we had just spent a lot of money restoring the church, and we didn’t want to be hidden. They were very accommodating and listened to our concerns – and we are tickled pink with the result.

It’s as if the building is saying saying: ‘Ta-daa! Here we are!’” There is a reason that the church had always been somewhat secluded. For over 200 years after the Act of Uniformity in 1559, outward observance of the Roman Catholic faith was illegal in England. Even after the Catholic emancipation in 1829, and further relaxation of the laws in 1850, Catholic churches were often squirrelled away down side streets and set back from the road. Over 130 years after its completion, Most Precious Blood is now more visible than ever, theatrically framed by a most precious viewing cone.

April 9, 2025 | 5:00 am