Blackheath Quaker Meeting House with cobbled area of forecourt

Blackheath Quaker Meeting House is a modern assembly space in Lewisham distinguished by bold concrete construction and a pyramidal roof with a lantern skylight. The cobbled forecourt has been transformed into a Peace Garden and accommodates roughly a hundred people inside.

Built between 1971 and 1972 by architect Trevor Dannatt, the meeting house replaced earlier gathering places in Woolwich and other southeast London locations. This move marked a significant shift for the local Quaker community to a new permanent home.

The building provides space for communal worship in a minimalist setting, reflecting the Quaker approach to religious practice that visitors can experience directly. The simple interior design encourages the kind of focused reflection central to this tradition.

The building offers wheelchair access and cork tile flooring that provides good natural acoustics for gatherings. Regular community events and meetings take place throughout the year, so checking opening times in advance helps visitors plan a visit.

This is the only Brutalist-style Quaker meeting house in Britain and received a Civic Trust award and Concrete Society commendation in the 1970s. This recognition highlights its architectural importance as an uncommon example of this building style applied to religious spaces.

Location: London Borough of Lewisham

GPS coordinates: 51.46513,0.00701

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:46