Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile

From Congregational Chapel to Ukrainian Cathedral

The building's story spans nearly nine centuries, beginning with a Free Chapel founded by Queen Matilda in 1148 near the Tower of London. Following the Act of Uniformity in 1662, the congregation became independent and eventually established itself in Cornhill, where goods entering London were weighed on the King's Beam—a practice that gave the chapel its enduring name, King's Weigh House. For over two centuries, the congregation occupied various sites across the City of London until 1883, when their Fish Street Hill location was needed for the construction of Monument tube station. Compensated with £37,450 in arbitration, the congregation merged with a similar group worshipping on Robert Street (later Weighhouse Street) and sought a new home in the West End.

An Architectural Masterpiece by Alfred Waterhouse

The Duke of Westminster provided a generous site at peppercorn rent between Binney and Duke Streets, and the congregation commissioned Alfred Waterhouse, the celebrated architect of the Natural History Museum, to design their new chapel. Construction began in 1887 and was completed in 1891, with the first International Congregational Council meeting held that July to mark the occasion. The building exemplifies Waterhouse's distinctive style: a masterpiece of compact planning featuring an oval nave with gallery seating for 900 worshippers, rendered in hard red brick and buff terracotta with round-arched Italianate classical detailing. The terracotta and faience elements were sourced from the Burmantofts works of the Leeds Fireclay Company. By 1894, over £30,000 had been invested in the building and its fittings, establishing it as one of London's finest nonconformist chapels.

War Damage and Restoration

The chapel's mid-twentieth century proved turbulent. In 1940, serious bomb damage during the Second World War left the building severely compromised, and it was requisitioned as a fire-watching centre and rest centre. The domed ceiling, a casualty of the bombing, required complete restoration. Not until 1953 was the King's Weigh House fully restored, by which time its original congregation had nearly vanished. The building subsequently served as a Protestant chapel for members of the United States Navy stationed in London, but eventually fell into disuse, its future uncertain.

A New Spiritual Home for Ukrainian Catholics

In June 1968, the building entered a transformative new chapter when it was acquired on behalf of the Ukrainian Catholic Church under the newly enthroned Bishop Augustine Hornyak. The timing reflected decades of Ukrainian Catholic immigration to London, beginning in the 1940s and accelerating after the Second World War. In 1957, Pope Pius XII had created an apostolic exarchate for Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Britain, later elevated to an Eparchy (full bishopric) by Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. The cathedral was renamed the Cathedral of the Holy Family of Exile, reflecting the diaspora experience of its community.

Byzantine Transformation and Interior Splendour

Necessary internal modifications adapted the building to Byzantine Catholic worship while preserving Waterhouse's original architectural structure. The most striking addition is the iconostasis—a wall of icons and religious paintings separating the nave from the sanctuary—created by Ukrainian monk Juvenalij Mokrytsky. This magnificent work serves both spiritual and aesthetic purposes, with informational guides helping visitors understand the significance of each painted section. The red-brick apse glows warmly, particularly when illuminated by natural light, creating an atmosphere that lifts the spirit. In one corner stands a large stone carving of the Holy Family, salvaged from Saffron Hill Church, the original place of worship for London's Ukrainian Catholic community. The cathedral also features confessional boxes and maintains the terracotta framework of the east end, designed by architect Sir John Burnet, which depicts the Four Beasts of the Apocalypse.

A Living Monument to Resilience and Faith

In 2007, part of the ceiling collapsed, but skilled restoration work has made it difficult to distinguish the repaired sections from the original. The cathedral remains largely unaltered from its 1891 construction, with the red brick and terracotta exterior making a bold and positive contribution to the Mayfair conservation area. Today, the cathedral stands as a testament to architectural excellence, historical continuity, and the resilience of London's Ukrainian Catholic community. Visitors are welcomed to experience the serene interior, pray, or simply appreciate the craftsmanship and spiritual significance of this remarkable building.