St Matthias Church, Hackney

The parish of St Matthias Stoke Newington was created in 1849, out of the parish of Stoke Newington and a parcel of 'detached' land belonging to Hornsey parish. The patron of the new parish - responsible for appointing the clergy - was alternately the Crown and the Bishop of London. Choral services at St Matthias' were developed by the organist, William Henry Monk, musical editor of Hymns Ancient and Modern and composer of "Abide with me". Under the incumbency of Rev. Charles James Le Geyt, the ritualist, high church, tone of the services sparked off strong protests. In October 1867 the church was surrounded by a mob hundreds strong, protesting, and the vicar shouted at during the service.…

The strongly individual building is of stock brick with Bath stone dressings and slate roofs. The tall nave of five bays has low, pent aisles and alternate octagonal and compound piers. The saddleback crossing tower with its very long bell openings is the most striking feature of the building creating inside a tall chancel arch with half-arches at east end of the aisles. The window tracery is a freely-adapted late Decorated type. A programme of repairs was ongoing in 2019, funded by the parish with assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic England.