St George's Church, Letchworth

St George's Church is an Anglican church of modern design in the Parish of Norton in Letchworth Garden City in Hertfordshire. Opening in 1964 and arrow-shaped with a 120-foot concrete spire, the congregation are seated in a semi-circle facing the altar. The church building is in the style of the Liturgical Movement following World War II. It was Grade II listed in 2015 for "its striking architectural form, expressed through a diverse range of materials to provide an innovative building of real quality both in composition and detailing."

For about 850 years the parish church for the village of Norton was the Church of St Nicholas, but as more and more houses were built in the area and Norton gradually became a suburb of Letchworth the need for a larger church in the area became apparent and a design for a large Gothic style church and hall were put forward. However, only the hall was built, opening in 1915 and being used for worship for about 50 years. After World War II the nearby Grange Estate was built and the need for a new church became even more pressing. From 1955 to the early 1960s local people regularly contributed towards the cost of building a new church.

St George's church was built to the design of the architect Peter Bosanquet (1918-2005) of Brett, Boyd and Bosanquet architects. Bosanquet also designed much of the church's furniture and fittings, including the pews, which were crafted from African utile wood. The church is considered to be Bosanquet’s "most innovative and successful design." In addition, he designed the churchwardens’ wands, all the candle holders and stands and the hymn board, which were made at the nearby Norton School. The fibreglass sculpture of Christ suspended over the altar was designed by the sculptor Harry R Phillips (1911-1976) and was intended to represent the Resurrection and the Ascension.

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