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 Catholic church was established in Swadlincote in 1886, replaced by a temporary building on this site in the 1920s. Plans were drawn up for a new church by J. S. Brocklesby, but it seems that they remained unexecuted, apart from the building of a concrete foundation raft and a rock-faced stone Gothic presbytery; the congregation continued with a temporary building. The present building was built in 1955-8 from designs by Harrison & Cox of Birmingham. The concrete raft foundations laid in 1920-1 were replaced by a reinforced concrete raft foundation, to guard against the effects of mining subsidence. The presbytery was extended and a social club erected in the 1970s. 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.

Heritage Details