LOUDWATER, Buckinghamshire – St Peter. 

Extension 1903-4

A new chancel and sanctuary, including an organ chamber, were built on to the existing building of 1788.

Externally, both the original building and Fellowes Prynne’s addition are of red brick, but the two kinds of brick are from a different era, and in colour and texture do not match. The addition looks incongruous with the Georgian original, being both out of proportion and in a totally different style.

Inside, the sense of incongruity disappears somewhat, with the proportions feeling much better balanced. There is a contrast between the light, airiness of the original building and the warm, serious red brick of the addition, which is effective in its way. There is a chancel wall with no screen, and the usual high altar in a stepped sanctuary, with dossal curtain behind.

The Building News and Engineering Journal of 20 May 1904 reported on the dedication of the new chancel:

The Bishop of Oxford dedicated on Monday a new chancel which has been added to the parish church at Loudwater, Buckinghamshire.  The old church was built about 100 years ago, and was totally devoid of any architectural pretensions.  By the addition of the chancel, a new west entrance, and a new aisle and vestry, all Gothic in character, the church has been thoroughly modernised, a sum exceeding £2,000 having been expended on the building.  The old plaster ceiling has been taken out, and a Gothic pine ceiling substituted.  Mr. G. H. Fellowes Prynne, F. R. I. B. A., 6 Queen Anne’s-gate, Westminster, has been the architect, and Mr. H. Hunt, of High Wycombe, the builder.

There was a proposal for a complete rebuild, but this was never carried through.