For this church:
St George the Martyr
St George’s Church Netherfield has probably one of the briefest description of all the church listed in Pevner’s Buildings of England. It simple states ‘a towerless brick church’
St George’s is however a church designed by Ewan Christian a leading architect of his time, in a plain simple style which reflects its location, set amongst plain red brick houses, factories and shops, then occupied by hard working railwaymen and factory operatives. When the church was built in 1886/7 it had to serve a small new town, then as now impossible to enter without crossing the railway lines which enclose it.
Whilst many of the surrounding buildings have changed - shops becoming house, old factories replaced with new houses, and the site of the Methodist Church now a garage - St George’s has gracefully surrendered some of its generous site to be used for other community purposes, without any significant change to its appearance, or status as a parish church. It stands as it always has, a symbol of continuity, changing its appearance only to accommodate changing needs such as better access for the less-abled, and greater security.
Particular thanks to Doug Fletcher for research on this entry