All Saints Notting Hill

All Saints Notting Hill stands in Talbot Road, a quiet corner of Notting Hill in west London. Built in the 19th century, the church is a Grade II* listed building in Victorian Gothic Revival style. Its polychromatic decoration catches the eye with bold patterns of red, black and cream brickwork. The tower rises 30 metres and echoes the medieval belfry of Bruges. The church was designed by William White with advice from Sir George Gilbert Scott. The church is worth visiting for its colourful architecture and musical history. It was begun in 1852 by the Reverend Dr Samuel Walker as the centrepiece of a new estate. Though Walker’s property plans failed, the church was completed in 1861 at a cost of £25,000. During the Second World War the building suffered bomb damage in the Blitz. In 1966 Pink Floyd played the first Notting Hill Fayre in the church hall, events that led to the Notting Hill Carnival. Inside, the chancel has paintings by Henry Holiday. The first organ, built by Gray & Davison, was criticised for blocking a window. A later three-manual organ by Norman and Beard now stands in the north chancel. The tower houses a reconstructed organ speaking into the west gallery. The church hall still hosts concerts and community events.