A post-Vatican II church of polygonal plan and portal frame construction, built to serve a new housing estate.

The church was built to serve the large housing estate of Bedgrove, to the southwest of Aylesbury town centre. The site was bought for £9,000 in 1966, and construction began in 1968. It was opened and blessed on July 9 1969. According to Mr Butler at Long Crendon church, Our Lady’s was built by Crendon Concrete, who also built the church at Long Crendon. Both buildings are of portal frame construction. Initially the church was served from St Joseph’s in Aylesbury town centre, but by 1970 had become a parish in its own right, with a house acquired in nearby Pevensey Close to serve as the presbytery. The church was consecrated on 8 July 1994.

Description

The church is of polygonal plan and concrete portal frame construction. The walls are externally clad with brick, with a continuous clerestory running around the main space. Lower appendages at the entrance comprise a lobby and chapel.

The interior is a single undivided space, the reinforced concrete piers rising Pantheon-like to a large central oculus. Between these, the wall surfaces are of exposed brick, the lighting coming from the high-level clerestory and the oculus. The seating consists of traditional benches, brought from elsewhere.

Amended by AHP 24.01.2021

Heritage Details