A restoration for the community

10 minutes’ walk from Paddington Station, beside the Grand Union Canal, St Mary Magdalene Church is one of the finest neo-Gothic churches in the country. Managed by Paddington Development Trust, the Grand Junction project sees the church opened up to all as a venue with a lively community and arts programme.

Grade 1 Listed, it was built in the 1860s and 70s by the great Victorian architect G E Street, who orchestrated the very best artists and craftsmen of the day to produce a masterwork combining architecture, sculpture, stained glass, and arguably the most remarkable painted ceiling in an English parish church. From the mid-20th century the church fell into disrepair. It has now been lovingly restored and a beautiful new building has been added alongside, designed by Dow Jones Architects, which provides a café, learning studio and visitor facilities.

We are open as a venue running courses for adults, after-school clubs for young people, family workshops, and a rapidly growing arts and music programme. The church is open regularly for visitors, allowing enjoyment of its astonishing architecture by a much wider audience. At the heart of Grand Junction is the idea of bringing together different communities, bridging some of the parallel worlds of 21st century London.