A late nineteenth century hall which went through a number of changes of use before commencement of Catholic use in 1927. The building is internally spacious and attractive but externally makes only a modest contribution to the Westbourne Conservation Area.

The church began life in 1886 as assembly rooms and then a hall (Victoria Hall) before becoming an Anglican chapel, initially dedicated to St Nathaniel. It later became an agricultural hall before being acquired for Catholic use in 1926 by the Jesuits from Sacred Heart. It was opened by the Bishop of Portsmouth in January 1927.

Description

The passage leading to the church building has a red brick screen wall on Seamoor Road dating from 1955 (Alan Stewart & Gordon Sutcliffe Architects). The church is a rectangular structure of the 1890s (it is not shown on the 1890 Ordnance map), built of yellow brick with a hipped slate roof. In the side walls are round-headed windows with red brick surrounds; originally there were five windows on each side, but some have been blocked.

The interior is a single space with plastered walls and a projecting cornice, above which is a cove and a flat trabeated and compartmented ceiling. Mouldings on the walls echo the outlines of the windows and also of the small eastern apse. A marble font came from Westbourne Methodist church.

Entry amended by AHP 4.10.2026, incorporating information from parish website.

Heritage Details