Friday Photo: Church of St Augustine

Today’s Friday photo is an autumnal view of St Augustine’s Church in Edgbaston. The 185ft tower and spire of the church are surprisingly well hidden away on a secluded island in between the Hagley Road and Portland Road, in what is now the St Augustine’s conservation area.

During the 1800s as further homes were built along the Hagley Road and new roads were cut, the Church of England were forced to build more churches to cater for the expanding parish population. St Augustine’s was consecrated in 1868 (later to be completed by the addition of the tower and spire in 1877); the third church to be built that century in the Parish of Edgbaston.

The architect was J.A. Chatwin, who was also responsible for the designs of the re-built St. Martins in the Bullring and what is now the Old Joint Stock pub on Temple Row West.