The Architect
Architect and his father

The architect Richard Reynolds Rowe, and his father Alderman Richard Rowe, both had a strong influence on the building of St. Matthew's church. Their biographies are given here.

The Rowe Arms

The Rowe family are able to trace their pedigree back to the Crusader Richard Rowe of Truro. He was granted Arms on the battlefield under the command of Godfrey de Bouillon in 1095(?). The arms display: Gules, three paschal lambs or; staff, cross, and banners argent. Crest: a paschal lamb, as in the arms. Motto: Innocens non timidus. These arms, bearing the Agnus Dei were to feature with great symbolic importance in the alderman's life and are remembered in a stained glass window at St. Matthew's.

A dating of 1095 for the arms is probably wrong. Pope Urban did not give the call for a Crusade until Tuesday 27 November 1095 at the Council of Clermont "Let western Christendom march to the rescue of the East. Rich and poor alike should go." News of the call spread rapidly but the call had its dark side; Godfrey de Bouillon, Duke of Lorraine, was less than white. In the December, Godfrey started to amass followers; however he had little money to pay them and put out a rumour that German Jews would be massacred to avenge the death of Christ. The Jewish communities in Mainz and Cologne offered the Duke 500 pieces of silver, for each man, if he would spare their lives. Godfrey's dastardly blackmail succeeded. By 6 May 1097 Godfrey's army reached Nicaea. After a bloody battle on 21 May, the city surrendered to the Crusaders on 19th June. This would have been the earliest date at which Arms would have been granted to Crusaders. Later battles in which Godfrey's men were to play a significant role were: the fall of Antioch from Islamic power and the taking of Jerusalem with the dreadful massacre of the Moslems in July 1099.

The Rowe arms were augmented to incorporate another crusader theme when Reynolds Rowe, the architect of St. Matthew's, was made a Knight of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. The augmented arms: the chief is gules with a cross charged throughout argent.
Other members of the Rowe family fought in the 2nd and 3rd crusades. The family then settled in Truro. Nicholas Rowe, the distingushed author, was also related. In the 17th and 18th century the Rowe family pioneered a horticulture business which made use of the mild Cornish climate for early ripening of flowers and vegetables which they sold profitably outside Cornwall. In about 1740 Richard's father moved to Cambridge to try to establish a similar gardening enterprise at Grantchester.
Sources:

(1) Memoir of the late Alderman Rowe of Cambridge. By R. Reynolds Rowe F.S.A, 1878.
(2) The First Crusade. By Sir Stephen Runciman, 1992, Canto edition, Cambridge University Press.

Alderman Richard Rowe


 Richard was born on Christmas day, 1797. He was educated at a school in St. Botolph Lane where he developed a life-long taste for learning. From being a small boy he helped out in his father's business as he began to build Paradise House in Grantchester. Disaster struck. Richard's mother died young and the family business collapsed after a bad summer. His father was thrown into gaol, on Castle Hill, for debt and the home was sold. The young lad, Richard, had nowhere to go, but a kind cowherd's woman at Granchester took him in and he worked doubly hard to earn enough money to get his father released. Eventually his father was freed and Richard cared for him for the rest of his life. This dreadful time of hardship clearly had its effect on the young Richard; he always showed great sympathy for the poor and afflicted.

Richard married Sarah Reynolds in 1823; she also brought a little money to the family. Their son Richard Reynolds Rowe, known as Reynolds, was born the following year. The central stained glass window in the apse at St. Matthew's is dedicated to her (see Stained glass). Richard continued working, he particularly liked the University, was secretary to the tutor in Jesus, secretary to the Registrary, worked in the University library, and slowly built up good connections in Cambridge society, particularly amongst clergymen. He was greatly respected by all who met him. In 1833 he met the Government Inspector for Corn Returns; later his son Reynolds was invited to be the architect of the Corn Exchange in Cambridge.

Richard attended Holy Trinity church when the great evangelist Charles Simeon was there. It was after listening to Simeon's last sermon from 2 Kings ch10, v16, "Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord", that he had an experience of renewal that profoundly changed his life. The evils, particularly poverty, must be overcome and replaced with a just society. The importance of the Agnus Dei on his family Arms seeped into his soul as the Lamb was given a deeper personal meaning for him. With the departure of Simeon, the mantle for preaching seemed to fall on Charles Perry, vicar of St. Andrew-the-Less. Richard joined that church and became a Churchwarden and was present at the consecration of Christ Church, 27 June 1839. He played a leading part in the formation of the Barnwell and Chesterton Clergy Fund. This Fund was to have a major effect on the development of the Anglican church in Cambridge for the rest of the 19th Century. New churches were strategically placed in centres of population growth; St Pauls in 1843, St Matthews in 1866, St Barnabas in 1869, and St Philips 1889. Richard was Treasurer of The Building Fund for St Matthews. It must have been sad for him not to be at the consecration of St Matthews, through illness, since he had worked so hard for its birth and his son Reynolds had designed such a successful building; Reynolds too was unwell and unable to attend the consecration. The church was a spectacular piece of Victorian polychromatic modern architecture; no church in Cambridge was remotely like it.

Richard was elected a councillor for St Andrew's ward in 1849 and from then elected unopposed until he was raised to Alderman in 1868. At an early age, Richard developed a musical talent and played the violin, he particularly enjoyed works by Beethoven; he was a founder member of the Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra. He died 10 December 1878. At his funeral his coffin was draped in a violet pall embroided with the Agnus Dei.
Source:

(1) Memoir of the late Alderman Rowe of Cambridge. By R. Reynolds Rowe F.S.A, 1878.

Richard Reynolds Rowe F.S.A., R.I.B.A, (Architect of St. Matthew's Church)


 Sarah Rowe gave birth to Richard Reynolds Rowe, 6 June 1824; Reynolds was his mother's maiden name. Reynolds, as he was known to distinguish him from his father, started his professional life more as an engineer rather than an architect. He worked for some time with Ewan Christian as Clerk of Works in building St. Thomas's Isle of Man. Christian later designed the old Parish rooms and the Bellcote at St Matthews. Drainage and sewers occupied most of his engineering work. He was made ARIBA in 1854 and AICE in 1855. He made an extensive survey of the sewage disposal facilities of many towns and made recommendations to Cambridge City Council.

Reynolds spent a lot of time at Ely working under Sir George Gilbert Scott. He made detailed studies of the octagon and lantern and produced a long paper for the RIBA. This study was carried out as a precaution in case the lantern was damaged. The study of the octagon and lantern proved inspirational for the design of St. Matthews. The church design is, however, much simpler than that of Ely. Curiously, the notification drawing for the new church of St. Matthew, does not contain an octagon or lantern (see Architecture for a picture) and bears little resemblance to the church that was built by him 3 years later.

Reynolds Rowe was an active christian and Churchwarden of St. Andrew-the Great. He helped to set up Church Defense Association and was a founder of the Church Congress in 1861 along with Revd. Beamont. He played a pivotal role in the formation of St. Matthews, alongside his father.

Death Notice of Reynolds Rowe

Reynolds Rowe died on Thursday 21 December, 1899. An obituary appeared in the Cambridge Chronicle of 22 December, 1899 and listed his achievements. He had been Borough Surveyor from 1850-1869, Surveyor of Bridges for Isle of Ely County Council, Architect for Fulbourn Assylum, Clerk of Works of Ely Cathedral, a Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. He was an ardent Conservative supporter and a staunch member of the Church of England. With Beamont he was a founder of the Church Congress and was present at its first meeting along with Archdeacon Emery. He was a town councillor for Trinity ward 1878-81, Governor of Addenbrooke's Hospital, Churchwarden of St. Andrew-the-Great. He had offered to build a church on the south west corner of Parker's Piece. His house was Park House on Parkside. He was survived by Mrs Charlotte Rowe.

Funeral Service of Reynolds Rowe

The service was held at St. Andrew-the-Great on Wednesday 27 December, 1899. The coffin was covered in a magnificent violet pall brearing the coat of arms of the Rowe family (possible the same pall as that used at his father's funeral) and the emblazonments of a Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem worked by Mrs Rowe. At the funeral, Psalm 90 was sung, with the hymns, "On the resurrection morning.." and "Now the labourer's task is over.." The service concluded with Chopin's Funebre. Present at the service were: Archdeacon Emery, the Master of Peterhouse, many civic dignatories, builders and friends. Many wreaths were laid at his graveside, one was noted by the Chronicle "With much love and sympathy, from the servants, Louisa and Kate."

Rowe's views on cooperation between Clergy and Laity

In the mid 19th century cooperation between Clergy and Laity was virtually unknown. Clergy were wary that their position might be usurped by educated laymen. Rowe's view, based on wide experience, was that laymen wished to cooperate and as a consequence of that responsibility would exercise a stronger financial role in the Church. He believed that the Laity would be able to provide the worldly wisdom that was so lacking in the clergy. However, for this to be successful, proper cooperation would be necessary. In his speech to the Church Congress of 1861, Rowe gave an illustration of the financial mismanagement of the Old Schools of Cambridge; the clergy were not equipped to handle problems in a business-like way.

Rowe conjectured that if there were proper cooperation:
Laity would be willing to provide financial help to clergymen in a poor benifice
Laity would help raise subscriptions for the Parsonage house
Laity would help insure the Clergyman's life for the benefit of his family
Laity could become Sunday School Superintendents
Laity with experience would become Church secretaries for Church business
Laity with financial acumen could function as treasurers of the Church


In this way the Laity could relieve the Clergy of much mechanical work which overloads them. Over time all these ideas have been incorporated into Church life and represent the thinking behind Parochial Church Councils.

Public buildings designed by Reynolds Rowe


a school in Union Lane
YMCA in Alexander Street, demolished by the Lion Yard complex
Corn Exchange(1875-6)
Red Cow (1889), opposite Corn Exchange, possibly the work of his partner, Scott.
Some houses in Hills Road, Newnham, Newtown and Gresham Road.


Churches built by Rowe


St. Andrew's, Burwell (1863), a white and red brick chapel
St. Matthew's, Cambridge (1866), octagon and lantern
St. Peter's, Prickwillow (1866-88), intricate timber roofing
All Saints, Wendy (1867), now demolished
St. Mark's, Newnham (1871), a temporary church now replaced. Reynolds did not charge for the work. His father had been given charity by a woman in Newnham when he was homeless after Reynolds's grandfather was thrown into prison (vide supra).
Holy Trinity Church, Reach.


Churches partially restored by Rowe


St. Peter's, Fordham (1871), reworked piscinia, sedilia and parts of chancel arch
All Saints, Horseheath (1875), some of the exterior
Holy Trinity, Haddenham (1876), extensive restoration and rebuilding of tower
All Saints, Shelford (1878), work on chancel and east window
St. Mary's, Bartlow (1879), restored some windows


Sources:

(1) A man of his time. By James Frank, In: Cambridgeshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough Life, November 1981, pp 32-36.

(2) Richard Reynolds Rowe. By Jon Harris. Varsity 24 November 1962, page 9.

(3) The Octagon and Lantern of Ely Cathedral. By R. Reynolds Rowe, Transactions of the Royal Institute of British Architects, (1876) pp 69-.

(4) The Buildings of England: Cambridgeshire. By Nikolaus Pevsner, 1970, Penguin Books.

(5) Obituary. Cambridge Chronicle. December 22 1899.

(6) Funeral. Cambridge Chronicle. December 29 1899.

(7) Contribution to a discussion on Clergy and Laity. Proceedings of the Church Congress 27-29 November 1861, Cambridge. Published by Deighton Bell pp. 161-163.
 
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