Christ Church, Harrow

 Christ Church, Harrow was designed by George Gilbert Scott in 1862, and an identical north aisle was added c.1870.

 This is unusual for a mature Scott church in that it is does not immediately proclaim its architect. Very likely an office job, but not without charm in its leafy, wooded setting. Its flint dressing is not as harsh as some other churches of this date, the stock yellow brick and Bath stone has also aged well. It has no tower, but a pretty little spirelet on the north side of the roof towards the approach, with a clock set in front of it.

The two-bay chancel has rather chunky geometric tracery, its north side with an unusual polygonal stair leading into a sacristy. Surprisingly, the aisle windows are essentially square-headed Perp - usually derided by Scott - but then this is by no means correct E.E.. A playful clerestory of variably foiled circles is interspersed with diamond patterns in brick and flint which also have an unusually Tudor domestic look to them.

Inside, brick is also used for the arches of the arcades and blind arches in the walls of the transept and chancel north wall. Otherwise, other than the stone columns and chancel arch responds, all the walls are now rendered and painted white. The church had to be underpinned relatively recently because it had been sinking in the London clay. It is good that the effort was made to save it. It is a pleasant space.