A large and characterful late-nineteenth century church and presbytery, built from the designs of James Sinnott for Charles Clifton Dicconson, who was from an old local recusant family.

Wrightington was the seat of the recusant Dicconson family, who had a chapel at Wrightington Hall. Edward Dicconson was educated at Douai and after ordination was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the north of England in 1741, with a base at Finch Mill house in Wrightington. Charles Clifton Dicconson reformed the local ecclesiastical organisation by compensating the bishop for the Finch Mill estate and building a church at Wrightington. The church was consecrated in 1894.

Description

See also list description,  below. This confuses the patron of the church (Charles Clifton Dicconson) with the architect (James Sinnott). There is a scheme of early twentieth century stained glass, probably by Hardman. The fine sanctuary ironwork canopy is probably also by the firm. There are three good late nineteenth century and early twentieth century brass memorial plaques to members of the Clifton Dicconson family in the north  chapel.  Alterations undertaken in the late twentieth century include a sanctuary reordering when the altar rail was removed and altar brought forward. Low screens of sympathetic design have been inserted at the west end of the church to facilitate wedding and other processional entrances to the church.

The presbytery (which is included in the listing) is linked to the southeast end of the church. It is a large three-storey building with a pair of full-height bays but otherwise simply treated. Ancillary buildings east of the presbytery, which is used as a home for retired priests, have been converted as a residence and garage for the parish priest.

List description

II

Roman Catholic church and presbytery. 1892 by Charles Clifton Dicconson. Sandstone rubble with slate roofs. Church comprises a nave, south porch, north and south transepts, crossing tower, and apsidal chancel. Nave of 3 bays with windows of 2 trefoiled lights under a pointed head with quatrefoil. Porch is gabled with outer doorway chamfered in 2 orders. West window of 4 lights under a pointed head with tracery. Crossing tower has pyramid roof. On each side are 2 bell openings of 2 lights with pointed heads. The apse is 3-sided and has paired trefoiled lancet windows. In the north wall of the north transept are 2 similar windows. Above is a rose window. The south transept also has a rose window, above a single-storey lean-to link to the presbytery. Projecting from the south wall of the presbytery are 2 square bays under hipped roofs. Each has sashed windows with no glazing bars separated by flat-faced mullions, of 2 lights on the ground floor and 3 lights on the 1st floor. Interior: nave roof is boarded. The trusses have curved braces to collars and are carried on corbels. The crossing arches are pointed and chamfered in 2 orders. The inner orders spring from semi-octagonal responds carried on carved corbels. The south transept contains an organ. The north transept is divided from the crossing by a timber screen. The chancel has alabaster inlay below the level of the windows, which have stencil decoration to the reveals. Behind the altar is an iron openwork canopy.

Heritage Details