A large church of the 1950s, built on a traditional longitudinal plan, serving the post-war expansion of Borehamwood to the north. Although not of special architectural and historic interest, the building is something of a local landmark.

The parish of St Teresa of the Child Jesus, Borehamwood (qv) was erected in 1925. Post-war expansion necessitated the splitting of the parish and the building of a second church and presbytery. These were built from designs by Sterrett & Blouet at a cost of £45,511. Cardinal Godfrey laid the foundation stone on 21 July 1957 and the church opened in 1958. Since 2008 the two Borehamwood churches have been united as one parish.

Description

The church is built to a traditional longitudinal plan, consisting of aisled nave with west gallery, transepts and sanctuary with flanking chapels/sacristies.  A parish hall is located below the sanctuary. The church is faced in red brick laid in Flemish bond, with copper roofs (felt on the aisles). A tall copper fleche is placed over the transepts. Small domes are located at the west end of each aisle, that to the north over the side entrance clad in the original copper and that on the south (originally the baptistery?) now clad in felt; each is crowned with a small cross. The main west front has a recessed porch with three equal arches with stone surrounds and iron gates, and above this a large blind circular opening with a raised brick cross. The foundation stone is set into the wall to the right. At the sides, short paired round-arched windows light the aisles, and taller single lights the nave and side walls of the transepts. The north-facing wall of the north transept has a door below and a cross feature above; the south transept has a covered link connection to the presbytery. At the east end, external steps lead down to the parish hall. Round-arched windows light the side chapels/sacristies, while the east wall of the sanctuary is windowless. 

The interior has not been inspected. Drawings in the Diocesan Property Services archive  show a round-arched nave arcade with reinforced concrete columns and a western tribune gallery and staircase, also of reinforced concrete. A curved roof is indicated at the east end of the sanctuary.

Heritage Details