1854 - The Swiss Church in London - Endell Street, London, UK - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

The church is a Grade II listed building and the entry at the English Heritage website (visit link) reads:

"Swiss Protestant church. 1853-4. By George Vulliamy. Rusticated stucco. 2-storeyed symmetrical facade of 3 bays with slightly projecting central entrance bay. Ionic pilasters and engaged columns, with seraphim capitals, on a podium rise through 2 storeys carrying the entablature with modillion cornice and parapet with central feature of a pediment on which a book emitting rays, surmounted by a ball at the apex; matching balls at the corners of building. Parapet inscribed 'A D EGLISE-SUISSE 1854'. Central architraved doorway with console-bracketed dentil cornice and double fielded panelled doors, above which a continuous Vitruvian scroll type frieze and a Diocletian window with console keystone with a seraphim. Flanking bays with square-headed 1st floor windows and round-arched ground floor window."

The Swiss Church London (visit link) tells us more about the building:

"The present Swiss Church Building in Endell Street was erected in the early 1850’s. It was to replace the 80 year-old Eglise Helvetique in Stidwell Street, Soho which had been built by the Swiss for the Swiss community in 1775. It had been a centre of worship and even then it focal point for the Swiss colony.

Why then, a new church? The prospective cost must have been daunting, but the current building was in a state of dilapidation. It was situated in an evermore overcrowded and insalubrious area noted for its lawlessness.

Yet all around, Victorian London was opening out. The developers had been hard at it - John Nash's Regent Street, new bridges over the Thames, a new open space called Trafalgar Square and new roads cutting through slum areas. It was time to make a move. A special committee was set up by the "Anciens" of the Church to look for a new site. One of the recently built roads was Endell Street (1844/45). Bold and forward-looking and undaunted by many reservations, the Trustees of the church took a decision, and in 1853 they signed a lease for a plot of land 40ft x 80ft at the north-western end of Endell Street.

The architect George Vulliamy was engaged to submit plans which were duly approved and accepted. But there was the matter of funding the project. Initial estimates were £1,500 for the land and £2,000 for the building and an annual ground rent of £10 - substantial sums for those days. Appeals for funds were made to the expatriate Swiss community and to the homeland. An appeal was also made to the British public. Swiss generosity and offers of haven to British protestants over the centuries were invoked, not least to John Knox at the time of the Reformation!

By 1854 building expenses had continued to mount up and the final cost of the Endell Street church had risen to over £5,000. Thanks to a generous donor and contributions from the canton of Zurich and the protestant churches in Berne the target was finally reached.

The resulting building with "Eglise Suisse" engraved on its façade was striking and modern-looking.

Also engraved was the date MDCCCLIV. This had been a little optimistic. In fact the inaugural service was held on February 4. 1855.

A further big financial effort was made the following year and the lease was purchased so that the Swiss community would inherit the Church and the land it stood on, in perpetuity. Over the years, modifications and additions were made to the interior to enhance the church for both practical and aesthetic reasons. In 1973 the Swiss Church was designated a Grade II - a building that English Heritage deems worthy of preserving for posterity.

The Swiss Church building has now once again been transformed with a major renovation project. The building works have taken place between November 2008 and 2011 and are now (Spring 2011) coming to an end. The project was designed by the Swiss Architects Christ and Gantenbein and its aim was both to restore and enhance the building in terms of attractiveness and functionality."

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