Church of St. Luke, Ramsden Road

Church of St Luke TQ 2874 13/8 Listed Grade II* by English Heritage. By F W Hunt 1883 in the manner of an Italian Romanesque basilica. The east wall of the nave is partly blocked by the apsidal chancel and the west wall similarly by the apsidal baptistery. The north-west entrance tower dominates the asymmetrical composition. The whole is of red brick with sparing stone dressings, tiled roofs and copper spire. On the baptistery 3 panels recessed between lesenes are pierced by triplets of lancets. Oversailing courses of alternate projecting headers decorate the upper margins of the panels and form an eaves cornice below the conical slate roof. The apse is similar but there are 5 panels and tripartite labels frame the lancets. The nave bays are articulated with panels pierced by single lancets, the chancel by a coupled lancet. The west end has a triplet of lancets, each in a triple- stepped arch and a smaller lancet in the gable the whole framed by lesenes and corbel tables. In the tower the door has a triple-stepped arch with foliated tympanum framing a Celtic cross. Lesenes and corbel table decorate the 2 lower stages, twin lancets and oversailing courses the third stage, tripartite arcades of coupled colonnettes the belfry. From within the richly machicolated parapet rises the square spire with gilt cross. The red brick interior has arcades with pointed arches springing from the stiffleaf capitals of the stone piers. The alabaster and marble pulpit (1890), chancel wall (1894) and lantern (1901) were by 4 White, the tester, sedilia,stalls and bishop's throne by Harry Hems, the apse mosaic and all glass by Powell. The metal electroliers (1903) are a striking feature. The south chapel was fitted by Martin Travers.