History of the Church

The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary was originally designed by Arthur J. Phelps and built in 1870 by Myers & Son. The building is said to have been erected by the congregation of Claylands chapel in commemoration of the 23 years ministry of the Revd James Baldwin Brown. Formally the Brixton Independent Church, it reopened in 1953 as a Catholic Church.

The large red brick Early English Gothic style church was heavily damaged during the Second World War and subsequently put on the market. It was acquired by the Diocese and was repaired and adapted for Catholic use by Alleyn & Mansel.

The galleries in the nave aisles were removed (apart from their structural framework) and the church hall demolished and replaced with a new hall and vestry.  Alterations were also made to the forecourt area in front of the church, including the addition of a baptistery. The restored church was opened on 8 December 1953.

In 1960 the former clergy house behind the church was demolished and replaced with a  large  new  presbytery,  built  from  designs  by  Justin  Alleyn.

The church has recently (2010) been considerably embellished by mural paintings by Mauritzia Lees in the apse, in Byzantine style. Today, the church is served by the Missionary Society of St Paul with Fr Samuel Alabi, MSP as Parish Priest.

Served by the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSP)

Fr Samuel Alabi, Parish Priest

Fr Pius Duke Asuquo, Assistant Priest

Elizangela Lopes, Parish Secretary

Earline Hilda Castillo-Binger, Safeguarding Representative