Saint Mary's Catholic Church

Freestanding Catholic church, built c.1830, having seven-bay nave, pentagonal apse at east end, sacristy to north, and porch of c.1880 to west gable. Renovated 2003. Replacement pitched slate roof with raised parapets, rendered copings with kneeler-stones having cross detail, stucco cross finials to nave gables, smooth raised rendered eaves course and cast-iron profiled rainwater goods. Hipped slate roof to apse and pitched slate roof with raised parapets to sacristy and porch. Wet-dashed rendered walls with smooth-rendered raised plinth course and quoins. Pointed-arch windows, double to sides of apse, with smooth chamfered raised render surrounds, integral sills and leaded stained glass with secondary glazing. Trefoil window to apse with chamfered surround. Tudor-arch main doorways to nave and sacristy, with timber battened double-leaf doors and wrought-ironmongery, approached by concrete steps. Interior has gallery to west end. Exposed queen-post truss roof with quatrefoil profiles to cornice, timber panelled balustrade supported on painted cast-iron columns, and with marble altar to apse. Freestanding cast-iron bell-stand to northeast of church, on rendered and glazed structure. Church set perpendicular to road, with low rendered boundary wall to west enclosing grotto with coursed ashlar squared piers and cross finials. Graveyard to south and car park to west.

A simple church, typical of those built in the early nineteenth century but, unusually, having an apse. The plain facades are enlivened by the lancet windows and the contrast between the raised smooth quoins and wet-dashed rendered walls. The exposed timber trusses, panelling and stained glass add to the quality of the interior, and contrast with the external simplicity of the building. A well-maintained church that is the centre for worship for the local community.