March 12th, 2019 | Uncategorised
A Gothic Revival flint and stone church built in 1914-15 from designs by Arthur Young, and financed in part by the colourful Catholic writer and polemicist Mgr R. H. Benson, of nearby Hare Street House. Benson died in 1914, and the church became his memorial. The tower was added later. The church, presbytery and Benson Hall are of historical interest, and occupy a prominent position within the local conservation area.
March 12th, 2019 | Uncategorised
An early (1873-75) work by Edmund Kirby, which although architecturally conservative contains an interesting interior with a distinctive timber roof and aisle arcades. When listed, the building contained a number of late nineteenth and early twentieth century fittings, though these have mostly been removed for safe keeping. The church has been closed for several years and in spite of considerable expenditure on maintenance is now in a serious state of disrepair.
March 12th, 2019 | Uncategorised
Built on the eve of the First World War, the church is a late and relatively modest example of the use of fully-developed Gothic Revival architecture for a Catholic church. It has some architectural distinction, especially internally. An unusual feature is the use of terracotta for most of the dressings.
March 12th, 2019 | Uncategorised
St Bede’s is a convincing work by a major Gothic Revival architect of the mid 19th century. Substantial in scale, and well detailed, the building is second only to St Michael’s, Ditton in architectural importance within the Widnes Pastoral area. Whilst the building lost some of its furnishings in the reordering of the early 1990s, it remains an appealing church with a village character.
March 12th, 2019 | Uncategorised
A handsome Italianate church built in 1906 for the Redemptorist order, along with a monastery incorporating Windhill House, a property of sixteenth-century origin. The church is now served by secular priests, and the monastery buildings are in separate ownership and use. The church occupies a prominent position near the town centre, close to the medieval Anglican parish church (with which it shares a new church hall). The church retains many internal fittings of note, some of them paid for by the builder of the church, Fr Oliver Vassall-Phillips.
March 12th, 2019 | Uncategorised
St Mary’s is of considerable historic interest as the only executed work in England by George Jonas Wigley, a significant figure in nineteenth century Catholic life and ecclesiology. While the building is architecturally unremarkable, the west front is an impressive, if quirky design. The interior is altered, but contains furnishings by Pugin and glass by Hardman and Wailes.
