St. John’s Church, Waterloo, London.

St. John’s Church or St. John The Evangelist is an Anglican Greek Revival church built in 1822-1824 using the design of Francis Octavian Bedford. Under the Diocese of Southwark and the Deanery of Lambeth North it is very close to Waterloo Train Station and the IMAX cinema. Bedford designed three other churches at the time - St.George’s Camberwell, St.Luke’s West Norwood and Holy Trinity Newington. These were all built in the same Greek style as Bedford was a Greek scholar and antiquarian. 

The churchyard was converted into a garden in 1877. It previously held a childrens playground but the area has been neglected in recent years. The church was renovated by Reginald Blomfield in 1885 and altered internally by Ninian Comper in 1924. The church was struck by a bomb in 1940 which destroyed the roof and much of the interior. This meant services were held in the crypt and it took the name St. John’s-in-the-crypt. This meant the building was left open for a decade until it was restored in 1950 by Thomas Ford. The church is undergoing restoration to the nave and crypt throughout 2021/22. 

My visit was a passing one in the evening so I hope to return soon to see the interior.