A simple design built of rustic brick, with a Westmorland slate roof. The attached brick campanile lends it a certain presence in the townscape. Plain, bright interior with some details of Art Deco character.

Built in the Water Lane housing estate just before the war as a chapel-of- ease to St Wilfrid’s, the church was opened on 30 November 1939. The architect was Frederick Dyer of York. A campanile was built soon afterwards.

Description

A simple design, built of rustic red brick under a Westmorland slate roof, with slate hanging to the pediment of the western gable. Nave, aisles, short chancel, attached campanile on north side. Leaded lights to the windows in the nave, aisles and clerestory. Linked to the church at the east end is a contemporary presbytery.

The main entrance is at the centre of the west front, the square frame of the doorway flanked by tall paired lights in rectangular openings, with triple windows over the entrance. Above this, in the slate-hung gable, is a statue of St Joseph under a canopy. The campanile is attached to the north aisle at the west end and is modulated by tall inset brick panels, emphasising its verticality, and with an inset glazed cross towards the top. It is topped by wide overhanging eaves with  brackets, and a shallow pyramidal roof. Paired windows with rectangular leaded lights to the clerestory and aisles; roofs with overhanging eaves.

The interior is simple and bright, with white painted plaster walls and some detail picked out in colour. A large narthex leads into the main space, consisting of a nave with a flat ceiling, lower aisles with straight tops to the openings, the bays marked by quadripartite piers with simple mouldings of a stripped classical/Art Deco character. Canted east wall to short sanctuary with Crucifix and Art Deco trim.

Heritage Details