make any acquaintance with any person suspected of heresy, and finally adjudged to quit London within twenty-four hours, and not to come within four miles of it for two years!

The late church began to supersede the first in 1683.  The population even then was said to increase, and the inhabitants, to provide for the increase, built a new aisle on the south side.  In the beginning of 1695 the north aisle and chancel were supplanted by others of larger dimensions; and in 1696 it was resolved to take down and rebuild the whole church, excepting the tower at the west end.  The cost of this was met by subscription.  King William gave 300l.; the Princess Anne 100l.; Earl Craven 100l.; the Bishop of London 50l.; and the Earl of Warwick 40l.; the entire expense amounting to no more than 1,800l.  Bowack, who visited the church in 1705, thus describes the rebuilt church in his “Antiquities of Middlesex”: “In form quadrangular, somewhat broader than long, 80 feet from north to south, and hardly 70 from east to west.  Paved handsomely with Purbeck stone.  The pewing and galleries very neat and convenient.  The pulpit and chancel handsomely adorned with carving and painting.”  It might be added that the pulpit and desk were the gifts of King William the Third and Queen Mary, in addition to their contributions to the building fund.  The pulpit has a crown inlaid with the initials, “W. & M. R.,” and the date, “1697.”

In 1704, the defects of the recent work evincing itself so clearly by the cracking of the building, it was found necessary to take off the old roof, pull down the north and south walls, and rebuild them; which was done at a further outlay of 1,800l.

Again in 1772 the church underwent a thorough repair, and the old Gothic tower was taken down and the later one erected.

Once more in the year 1811 the church showed signs of decay, and it was necessary to underpin the walls, rebuild the vaults, and entirely renovate and adorn the interior.  This was done at an expense of 5,000l., which was met by a church-rate of sixpence in the pound, spreading over three years.  This church, now spoken of as the “old church,” was a plain brick structure, with no pretensions to architectural display.  The interior was composed of nave, chancel, and two aisles, separated by wooden pillars supporting the galleries.  It was spanned from the entablature of six wooden columns over the nave, and three large brass chandeliers wore suspended from the ceiling.  There was the royal pew curtained round in ancient style, which long continued to be used by high personages from the Palace.  Here the Duke and Duchess of Kent and the late Duke of Cambridge worshipped; and from this very pew the Duchess returned thanks after the birth of our present gracious and beloved Queen Victoria.  The brows of other distinguished persons have been seen within the old walls.  Sir Isaac Newton, Addison (after his marriage with the Countess of Warwick, of Holland House), Lady Margaret Macdonald, “Lady of the Isles,” Wilberforce, George Canning, Sir David Wilkie, Lord Macaulay, Thackeray, &c.—all of whom were residents in Kensington, were attendants at the parish church.  Such were the minor glories of the former house.

In 1866 it was seen that its fate was sealed.  Competent architects pronounced that it would not be safe to use it for public worship more than two or three years beyond.  The closing services were held on Whit-Sunday, May 16, 1869, when sermons were preached by the Bishop of London in the morning and by the Vicar in the evening.  The church was crowded—said, indeed, to be “packed to the ceiling.”  Collections made on the occasion towards the new building fund amounted to 265l.  The church contained no less than 114 monuments and tablets, among which one in white marble was most conspicuous, dated 1759, in memory of the Earl of Warwick, the Countess, and their daughter, Lady Charlotte Rich.  The Earl is represented sitting, resting his arm on an urn and clothed in a Roman habit.  All the monuments were carefully removed before the church was pulled down, and some, it is expected, will be reinstalled in the new edifice.

At first it was thought that the entire enterprise of the new parish church could not be undertaken at once, for want of funds, and it was resolved to proceed by degrees, laying the foundation and building vestry and chancel, with a temporary nave.  But the funds shortly realised and promised encouraged the deacon and churchwardens to build the whole of the fabric at once, with the exception of tower and spire.  The estimated cost of the work when completed is 35,000l., the tower and spire alone being estimated to cost 10,000l. of the amount.  The fine old ring of bells—eight in number—which have quickened and delighted the ears of Kensingtonians for many a long year, will find a place in the new tower and be heard again, and probably their joyous music be listened to by generations to come.  The spire, when completed, will be 240 feet from the base to the vane.  The estimated cost of the interior fittings, pews, pulpit, screen, and altar is 4,460l.  The church will be brilliantly lit with gas, and warmed with hot water on the most improved principle.  The length of the interior is 155 feet, and its greatest breadth 100 feet, and is capable of accommodating 1,600 persons on one floor.  There will be no galleries.  The style of the building is Gothic, a specimen of the transitional period from the early English to the decorated, and the architect is Mr. Gilbert Scott R.A., of Spring-gardens; the contractors Messrs. Dove Brothers, of Islington; and the grotesque and other carving with which the church is ornamented is executed by Messrs. Farmer and Brindly.  The external material of the building is Kentish rag, with selected Bath-stone dressings.  From what can be seen of the work in progress, the ample Bath-stone turrets and mouldings will add much to the effect of the building.  In the interior there is no plaster, but the whole of the church is faced with solid Bath ashlar.  There are on plan, nave, side aisles, and transepts.  The nave will be 107 ft. and the chancel 48 ft. long, and 27 ft. wide; the aisles are 14 ft. 6 in. wide.  There are also chancel aisles, and on the north side of the chancel an organ chamber, and the tower—the tower space being occupied with a vestry, from which the clergy will pass to the chancel by a vestibule.  The font is on the north side of the west door; it is intended to be a very handsome marble one, with a conical cover, the cost being 400l.  Several ladies in Kensington are exerting themselves to raise funds for this particular work.  The principal entrance to the church is on the west side, and the door