St. Luke’s Chapel
Address: 149 Roxbury Street
Built: 1901
Architect: Ralph Adams Cram
Gothic Revival
St. Luke’s Chapel takes it name from St. Luke’s Home for Convalescents. It was built for use by the patients at St. Luke’s home.
ARCHITECTURE
St. Luke’s Chapel was designed by Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942), founder of a nationally prominent architectural firm known for ecclesiastical work of outstanding quality. He was a scholar of gothic architecture and had considerable influence on church architecture in the 20th century. St. Luke’s Chapel is an early Cram building.
Other buildings designed by him include: Cathedral of St. John the Divine (NYC),
St. Thomas Church (NY), All Saints (Dorchester) , Marsh Chapel and flanking Neo Gothic buildings at Boston Universities Charles River Campus Boston and Christ Church (Hyde Park).
The gable roof building rises in Latin cruciform shape of red brick interrupted by a course of dressed limestone. Limestone also forms an aesthetically pleasing contrast to the red brick in the door and window casements, the capstones for the buttresses, a cornice on the façade, the capstones for the façade and opposite gable and the cross. The heraldic shield at the base of the cross is an example of Cram’s signature elegance.
The placement of the gothic arched windows up high on the façade and side walls of the chapel constitute an architectural device to allow light to be experienced entering the interior space “from above”.
CURRENT USE
St. Luke’s Chapel is currently used for special ecclesiastical events at St. John’s/St. James.
Sources:
Boston Landmarks Commission: Nomination Form
Richard Mulcahy, St. Luke’s Chapel
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