A small and relatively unaltered Perpendicular Gothic design by F.A. Walters, a prolific Catholic architect of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.

The first chapel in Grayshott was in The Court, the home of Mr and Mrs Vertue, and was blessed in June 1895. The present church of St Joseph was built in 1910-11 and consecrated in July 1911. The architect was Frederick A. Walters (1849-1931) a prolific church architect with many listed, principally Catholic, churches and seminaries to his credit. His largest and best-known work is perhaps the rebuilding of Buckfast Abbey, Devon.

Description

The church is stone-built with a steeply sloping tiled roof surmounted by a stone bell turret over the chancel arch. Perpendicular in design, it has a reordered chancel with north and south chapels, a four bay nave and a north aisle, and north and south transepts. The entrance is through a stone porch on the north wall. The nave and chancel lancet windows have clear glass and trefoil traceried east window has stained glass.

There is an elaborate stone carved reredos, below a tripartite, traceried window with stained glass. The Chapel of St Joseph, to the north of the high altar, also has an elaborate reredos. The lectern and font are both of high quality, carved alabaster, most probably designed by Walters. There are wooden barrel roofs over the chancel and side chapels. The wooden pews appear to be original.

In the burial ground there is a memorial to Canadian troops stationed at the nearby army camp who died from an epidemic during the First World War.

List description

II

Roman Catholic church. 1911, by F.A. Walters. Stone walls, and tiled roof. A Perpendicular design: chancel with north and south chapels, transepts, nave of 4 bays with a north aisle, and a north porch. Roof of a single ridge, brought to a low eaves above the aisles, parallel lower roof above the north and south chapels, gables at right-angles to the main roof above transepts and north porch: a stone bell turret rises above the main roof, in a position above the chancel arch. Simple treatment of walls, 2 buttresses on the north side, and windows of Perpendicular style, of 2 or 3 cusped lights, some with square heads and some with arched heads: the east window is traceried above 3 lights.

Listing NGR: SP7843244674

Heritage Details