A modern church housed in an extended nineteenth century former printing works. The chief significance of the building lies less in its interest as a church, which is modest, but in the townscape contribution of the original building, and its location within the former Roman town.

In 1958 a nineteenth century former printing works in Bank Lane was acquired for Catholic worship; prior to that various premises around the town had been used, including the British Legion hall and the Red Lion public house. The church was opened by Bishop Ellis on 8 May 1960 and was consecrated in 1991. More recently (c2000) an addition has been built, providing an entrance lobby, sacristy and additional worship space. The church is a chapel-of-ease, served from Market Rasen.

Description

A two-storey building, longitudinal on plan, with its gable end facing towards Bank Lane. The building is faced in ashlared render on the street and inner flank return walls, and in red brick on the outer flank wall. The roof is clad with Welsh slates. Tall narrow windows on the front elevation with arched heads, probably belonging to the 1960 adaptation; the flank elevations retain their original fenestration on the upper floor, with Yorkshire sliding sash windows.

The entrance is via the modern addition to one side, set back from the road behind a tall brick boundary wall and rendered gate piers with a stone coping. The new addition is of brick, with a rendered gable and a pointed arched entrance. This leads into a small lobby and on into the main body of the church. This is now L-shaped on plan, consisting of a nave (in the original building) and transept (in the addition). White painted plastered walls and low flat ceiling in the nave; the transept top lit. The sanctuary and altar are placed on the diagonal so as to face towards both areas of congregational seating. A straight flight of stairs from the back of the original nave leads to an upper room which has exposed tie beams and is ceiled below collar level; this contains a class room and small kitchen. The church furnishings are mainly modern and not of particular note, apart from (at the back of the nave) two nineteenth century stained glass windows depicting St John the Evangelist and St Anne, brought here from E. W. Pugin’s church at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent after that church was demolished in 1968.

Heritage Details