A polygonal church design of 1980; fit for purpose but not architecturally exceptional.

The parish was established from Holy Souls, Scunthorpe, to meet the needs of the expanding Catholic population in the southern end of the town. The present site was acquired in 1940, but it was not until 1950 that a modest parish hall was built. The parish was not actually established (and the presbytery built) until 1954. School building was a priority, and various Mass centres were used until designs for a new church were put forward in 1968. However, these were rejected by Bishop Ellis on grounds of expense, and it was not until 1978 that more modest designs by Eiriker Walton of the local firm of Brown & Buttrick were accepted. The builders were Joseph Jellinek Ltd. Work started on site in February 1980, and the completed church, with a seating capacity of 400, was opened in December of the same year. The parish hall was rebuilt and enlarged in 1998-99 by David M. Wright Dip. Arch.

Description

The church is of octagonal design, with a projecting gabled front entrance porch and a weekday chapel giving off the left hand side of the sanctuary. To the right it is linked to the earlier presbytery. The church is faced in red brick laid in stretcher bond under an artificial slate roof. The interior is a single space, its walls faced with concrete blocks and the Columbian pine boarded roof rising up to a central (unlit) octagonal topknot. It is a welcoming and attractive space, but there are no furnishings of particular artistic or historic significance.

Heritage Details