A good example of a suburban interwar church, paid for by a local industrialist, Edward Lomas, and designed by Frank M. Reynolds. The interior is notable for the good quality of the oak fittings, and the church has an attractive elevated setting above the west side of the London Road. Sensitive reordering has not detracted from the integrity of the interior.

The church was built to serve the 1930s Moss Estate, on the initiative of Edward Lomas, a Catholic convert, who covered the full £16,000 cost of the building and fittings. Edward Lomas managed Heaths, a successful silk business. The church is dedicated to St Edward, in recognition of the donor. Designed by Frank Reynolds, then of Hill, Sandy & Norris, it was consecrated by Bishop Moriarty upon completion in 1939. The playing field and parish hall built in 1949 (demolished) was also paid for by the Lomas family. The presbytery was built in 1963, from designs by Reynolds & Scott.

Description

The building is orientated with the sanctuary at the west end of the church. In this description, liturgical compass points will used. The building is faced in buff brick except for the east central panel of the tower which is faced in local sandstone, with a relief-carved Crucifixion. The roof is Westmorland slates, with stone coped verges and pilasters carried up above eaves. The plan form consists of a four-bay nave with passage aisles, west tower over narthex, west gallery and sacristy at the northeast corner of church. The nave lit by three-light mullioned windows in steel frames, the sanctuary by triple lancets from north and south; the east wall is blind.

The interior is plain plastered with sanctuary, passage aisles and nave bays expressed by semi-circular reinforced concrete arches. The roof soffit is lined with pine boarding, and the floor is laid with parquet; the pews are oak, to seat 250. Other oak fittings include the Gothic traceried screen to the narthex, gallery stairs, doors and sacristy fittings. The sanctuary has a mosaic floor,  in situ oak communion rails, sandstone high altar and oak reredos; the forward altar is of plain oak. When the church was reordered, the font (1989) was moved from the narthex baptistery to the sanctuary. Original 1930s fittings include the brass wall lights. The oak Stations of the Cross, carved in the Italian Tyrol, previously hung in the Glasgow Exhibition chapel. The oak statues are good quality, also early twentieth century.

Heritage Details