During the industrial revolution the small London borough of Battersea grew enormously in population. This was due to the expansion of the nearby railway network that was being constructed by mainly Irish immigrants. This influx of Catholics demanded a place of worship, and Sacred Heart was built to service their needs. Designed in a Romanesque style the foundation stone of this marvellous inner city church was laid in 1892 and it has flourished as a place of worship ever since.