St Peter's Church

St Peter's Church on Saint Peter's Street in Islington, London, is a Gothic Revival building designed in 1834 by Charles Barry, the architect behind the Palace of Westminster. Between 1842 and 1844, the firm Roumieu and Gough added its unusually slender spire. After closing as an active place of worship following a 1982 parish merger, developers converted the interior of St Peter's Church into modern residential apartments.

London · from the walk “From Islington Charm to Docklands Towers” · Generated

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St Peter's Street, Islington, London N1 8KG

Who designed St Peter's Church in London before winning the competition for the Palace of Westminster?

Look up at this striking stone building nestled along Saint Peter's Street. It looks like a classic medieval parish church, but its history is full of surprising twists and architectural ambition.

In eighteen thirty-four, a talented young architect named Charles Barry was commissioned to build this church. At the time, Barry was making a name for himself designing Gothic Revival churches across London, including four right here in Islington. But just one year later, in eighteen thirty-five, his entire life changed when he won the ultimate competition in British architectural history: rebuilding the Palace of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament. The very same mind that created Big Ben and the iconic riverfront of Parliament was working on this neighborhood church at almost the exact same moment.

Look closely at the soaring spire pointing toward the sky. Did you know that spire was not even part of Barry's original design? It was added nearly a decade later, between eighteen forty-two and eighteen forty-four, by the architectural firm of Roumieu and Gough. Local architecture enthusiasts often chuckle at its unusually sharp, slender silhouette, calling it the Thunderbird One spire because it looks like a vintage sci-fi rocket ready for blastoff!

As the decades went by, the neighborhood changed and congregation sizes fell. In nineteen eighty-two, the parish officially merged with nearby Saint James, and Saint Peter's closed its doors as an active place of worship. But rather than letting this grand structure fall into disrepair, developers stepped in with a clever preservation plan.

If you look up at the tall Gothic windows today, you might notice curtains and warm living room lights. The entire interior was converted into unique modern apartments! Imagine coming home every evening through a grand Victorian doorway, living inside a building crafted by the architect of Parliament himself.

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