Geograph - photograph every grid square

This photograph shows the vaulted stone cloister at St Mary Abbots Church, Kensington. Designed in the late 19th century by John Oldrid Scott, the cloister forms a covered passage alongside the church rather than a direct axial approach to the entrance.

Built in a Gothic Revival style using pale stone, the cloister is defined by its rib-vaulted ceiling, repeated pointed arches and hanging lanterns. Although immediately adjacent to Kensington High Street, the enclosed arcade creates a markedly quiet and contemplative space, contrasting with the surrounding urban setting.

The cloister is a distinctive and unusual feature for a London parish church, intentionally providing a sense of separation and transition between the exterior city and the church buildings.