St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Archway

Introduction

The Passionists of St Joseph’s, Highgate, founded the mission. An iron chapel was built in Hatchard Road in 1928 and enlarged in 1931.

History

In 1938, the building and mission were transferred to the care of the diocese. St Gabriel’s mission became part of a combined parish with St Mellitus, Tollington Park. Only in 1964 did St Gabriel’s, Upper Holloway (later renamed Archway), become an independent parish. In c.1981, Gerard Goalen & Partner converted the baptistery into a meeting room (now the sacristy).

At some point the original configuration of the crying chapel, and the organ and choir which used to flank the sanctuary was altered. Outreach to the marginalised is one of the parish's core missions.

The parish is served by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. The parish offers regular opportunity for confession, communal prayer, adoration, and the rosary.

Architecture and furnishings

The church was built as a concrete structure faced in dark grey bricks in stretcher bond outside and pale bricks inside (since plastered over). The plan is roughly rectangular with curved corners and aligned on the short axis. There are two square projections at the west, and skylit circular projections to the north and south. The roof is a flat concrete deck surrounded by a raised clerestory whose inner face is glazed and whose outer slope is clad in aluminium.

Between the projections is the foundation stone and above them a concrete bellcote with three bells and a metal cross. The remaining three external walls are notable for the absence of windows – in order to minimise the noise from the busy road. To the north are two small circular projections for shrines and a porch at the northeast, possibly the entrance to the original crying chapel. At the east is a tall projection with a tall hidden window focusing light on the sanctuary.

Internally, the absence of windows is hardly noticeable, due to the effective hidden lighting by means of a clerestory above the ceiling. The ceiling is suspended over the nave like a canopy on eighteen piers. Originally, the ceiling was painted dark with deep coffers, since filled with suspended panels and the whole ceiling painted white. To the left of the altar is the brass tabernacle, which is sunk into the wall and surrounded by four bronze angels (Soukop).

On the other side of the altar is a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary with the Child (Soukop). The two niches at the north hold further Soukop statues of the Sacred Heart and St Gabriel. At the west are two marble plaques to previous parish priests, as well as a more conventional statue of St Anthony. The Stations are square bronze panels, possibly also by Soukop. The benches are of concrete and polished hardwood, in four blocks arranged in a fan shape.