Church of St Barnabas

St Barnabas is an Anglican parish church in Manor Park, east London. Built in the Gothic Revival style, it stands among the red-brick terraces of a late-19th-century suburb. Ninian Comper and William Bucknall designed the building, which was completed in 1909. The church is made of red brick with stone details and has a triple-gabled west front. Arched buttresses run along the north side, giving the exterior rhythm and strength. The church is worth visiting for its fine Comper fittings. Inside, two ‘Comper angel’ candle sconces glow beside the nave’s measured arches. A carved stone font, a 17th-century pulpit and a 16th-century bell remain from earlier centuries. The stained-glass window, added by Comper in 1954, carries his strawberry motif. A major restoration finished in 2016 returned the building to use after years on the Heritage at Risk Register. Visitors find a calm interior of late-Gothic windows and measured arches. The nave leads to the carved font and the 17th-century pulpit. Community groups now share the space, reflecting the parish’s multi-ethnic life. Traditional services continue alongside social events, keeping the church at the heart of Manor Park.