Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Saint Leonard's is the ancient parish church of Streatham. The present church was built in 1830-1831 (with later additions and reconstructions) to replace an earlier church built about 1350. The old church had fallen in whilst undergoing repairs but the tower and steeple were retained as they were still in good repair. The architectural style was Gothic and the design was by architect Joseph T Parkinson. The chancel, designed by William Dyce, the painter, was added in 1862. William Dyce was a church warden of Saint Leonard's and he is commemorated by a large brass plaque. On 3 January 1841 the tower was struck by lightning causing a fire which destroyed the steeple, but the body of the church remained unharmed.
During the Second World War a bomb fell in the churchyard between the church and rectory, no one was hurt but the chancel, organ and roof were badly damaged and only one stained glass window remained intact. On 5 May 1975 the church again was damaged when it was gutted by fire. Saint Leonard's was restored and the interior completely rebuilt by the Douglas Feast partnership in 1975-1977.