A Glimpse into the Past
Step back in time with a selection of historic photographs of the exterior of St Mary Magdalene’s capturing how its surroundings have changed over the years yet the church itself endures as a presence in the community.
Before re-development in the 1960s, St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Paddington was tightly hemmed in by rows of Victorian terraces particularly along Clarendon Street and Clarendon Crescent, whose back gardens backed directly onto the Grand Union Canal running behind the church. These houses and streets once formed a densely packed, working-class neighbourhood just steps from the church. In 1957–58, the London County Council purchased hundreds of properties in this area including those surrounding the church as part of slum-clearance efforts affecting around 7,000 residents. By 1962, nearly all those terraced homes had been demolished and replaced by the newly built Warwick Estate, transforming the church’s surroundings into open, landscaped spaces beside the canal.
Instructions for Augmented Reality experience:
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Stand in one of the spot shown on the map.
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Tap the hotspot on the map to bring up the historic photographs.
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To compare it with the present view, drag the image to the left.
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If you can’t find the photograph, turn around — it might be behind you, looking in the same direction it was originally taken!
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To return the image to its original placement, drag in from the left side of the screen.
Location Hotspot 2
South facade, pre-2019 restoration
Location Hotspot 5
Apse & Clarendon Crescent
Location Hotspot 3
The Transept Door
VIEW MAP
