A fairly modest but assured design by Joseph Hansom, a well-known and original architect of many Catholic churches. The interior retains much of its historic character, including marble altars.

The name Prescot comes from the Anglo-Saxon Prestecote, meaning priest’s cottage. Prescot is an old market town, notable for coal-mining and the manufacture of clocks and watches. Our Lady’s church was built in 1856-7 from designs by Joseph Hansom.

Description

See list description, below. The Buildings of England notes that stained glass in the chancel and transept windows dates from 1857 and is by the Crown Glass Company of St Helens. The church was reordered in 1995. There is  now a modern timber and glass screen dividing the body of the church from a reception area where the benches have been removed. The western organ gallery has been underbuilt to provide kitchen and toilets. The church is carpeted throughout, but the original ornamental timber dado and most of the original benches have been retained.

List description

II

Catholic church. 1856-7. By J. Hansom. Rock-faced stone with ashlar dressings and slate roof. 7-bay nave, shallow transepts and 2-bay chancel. Nave has 2-light windows with plate tracery between deep weathered buttresses; gabled south porch has diagonal buttresses and statue in niche above entrance. West front has 2-light windows flanking buttress with canted inner angles forming stair turret; top gargoyles and short spire with iron cross. South transept has diagonal buttresses and 4-light window with Geometrical tracery; north transept has extension for confessionals and passage to presbytery. Chancel has 2 windows of 2 lights to south and 4-light east window. Interior: Roof has panels with C20 colour scheme. West gallery on braced timber posts. Stepped triple segmental-pointed arches to transepts on piers with foliate capitals. Chancel arch has continuous mouldings and hood mould with angel stops; flanking marble altars and reredoses. Chancel reredos has gabled traceried panels, cresting and central gabled aedicule.

Entry amended by AHP 11.01.2021

Heritage Details