A building of typical design and materials for its mid-twentieth century date, in a plain round-arched style but with an unexpectedly richly-carved pedimented stone entrance. The associated presbytery and shrine are of some interest, in particular the latter which is probably of nineteenth century date and later became a war memorial.

A school-chapel was built at Newhall in 1886 by the Countess of Loudoun, in memory of her father. In 1919 the present site was acquired by the Rev. Maurice Parmentier and in 1921 two army huts were procured to serve as a temporary church and parish recreation room. In the meantime, designs were prepared by J.S. Brocklesby for a permanent church and presbytery. While the rock-faced stone Gothic presbytery was built, the church never rose above the the level of the concrete raft foundation, and the temporary building remained in use. A permanent church was not built until 1955-8, this time from designs by Harrison & Cox of Birmingham. The 1920-1 foundations were replaced by a reinforced concrete raft foundation, to guard against the effects of mining subsidence. In the 1970s the presbytery was extended and a social club built. A Calvary within a brick shelter of Gothic design, which is said to date from the 1850s, stands set back from the presbytery. Its origin is obscure, but it seems that it was on the site by 1918 when it was dedicated as a war memorial.

Description

The church was described in the Catholic Building Review (1956) as being in a simple Romanesque style. It is of light steel framed construction, faced in brown brick with Portland stone dressings. The (liturgical) west entrance is set in a giant blind arch beneath a pedimented gable and there is a porch of Portland stone with columns, a broken pediment and carved figures, including a seated Christ. Windows are generally round-headed lancets, and there are transepts.

The interior has a cedar boarded ceiling and arcades of plain piers. There is a west gallery and a gallery in the south transept, with a Lady Chapel in the north transept. The forward altar is of marble, other furnishings are of simple design and include bench seating.

Text amended by AHP 29.01.2026

Heritage Details