Church of St Barnabas

The Church of St Barnabas stands in Pimlico, a quiet corner of the City of Westminster. Built between 1847 and 1850 to designs by Thomas Cundy junior, with help from William Butterfield, it was one of London’s first Ritualistic churches. Its interior follows Anglo-Catholic ideals, with architecture and liturgy shaped by those beliefs. The building became a Grade I listed structure in 1958, placing it among the nation’s most significant heritage sites. Three paintings in the crypt were created by Charles Edgar Buckeridge. Unlike many churches of the time, it offered free pews to all worshippers. The church’s clergy have included figures who shaped Anglican practice. W. J. E. Bennett served as perpetual curate, while Alfred Gurney became vicar. John Hudson began as curate before rising to Bishop of Carpentaria. Charles Lowder, another curate, founded the Society of the Holy Cross. Frederick Ouseley and George Ratcliffe Woodward also held curacies here. Victor Shearburn later became Bishop of Rangoon. Their presence shows how the church influenced wider church life. Inside, the building presents a calm, ordered space designed for Anglo-Catholic worship. The free seating arrangement reflects its early commitment to open access. The crypt holds Buckeridge’s paintings, adding historical interest below ground. The Grade I listing recognises both its architecture and its role in religious history. Pimlico’s streets around the church remain peaceful, letting the building speak for itself. Visitors find a place of quiet reflection rather than spectacle.