Victorian Glory

This is one of very few pictures which have survived showing the interior of the church before a disastrous fire in 1945 destroyed much of the original. 

There were stained glass windows above the altar, mosaics featuring gold leaf and lapis lazuli decoration and a superb mosaic floor in the chancel. All apart from a tiny fraction of mosaic on the wall of the sanctuary were lost. 

In fact trouble began earlier; by 1895 the chancel was unsafe due to ground movement and the original stone chancel and sanctuary arches were replaced by wooden ones. 

Sadly the 1945 fire also destroyed the fine lofty timber roof, organ and chancel screen.

The Lady Chapel

The Lady Chapel at the eastern end of the south aisle is not part of the original Victorian design which made no provision for additional altars. Created in 1927 as a memorial to a former Vicar, Canon Siddons, it is however the one place in the building where a sense of the original building may be gained. Much of this is thanks to the elaborate reredos (the screen behind the altar). 

Although damaged by smoke in 1945, the chapel survived the fire and the entire south aisle was blocked off and used for weekly services until repairs to the main church were completed in 1950. 

Shortly after the fire a wedding took place in the much-reduced space of the Lady Chapel but the furnishings still carried evidence of smoke damage. 

Fortunately the bride’s grandfather,  Edward Hopkins who was a skilled gilding artist was able to clean and re-gild much of the woodwork in time for the big day! 

Today the Lady Chapel is used for private prayer and weekday services which generally attract smaller congregations and provides a welcoming and intimate space in this large building. 
The refined detail of the gilded redos behind the Lady chapel altar gives at 
l​​east an impression of what was lost in the fire of 1945, although this work actually dates from 1927.
Edward Hopkins who was a skilled gilding artist was able to clean and re-gild much of the woodwork in time for the big day! 

Today the Lady Chapel is used for private prayer and weekday services which generally attract smaller congregations and provides a welcoming and intimate space in this large building. 

Stained Glass

St. Saviour’s has more stained glass than any other church in Walthamstow; most of it takes the form of memorials to former members of the congregation, clergy or their families.

The most beautiful were undoubtedly the windows at the east end above the altar which were destroyed in the fire in 1945.

However,  the three tall lancet stained glass windows on the west wall which are by Heaton, Butler and Bayne are are without doubt the finest in the church and were in place at the consecration in 1874. 

The barrel vaults of the modern Narthex echoes the Gothic style of the rest of the church.  They were added in the  re-ordering of 1987-88 and were designed by John Burton.
War Memorial