Saint Mary's Catholic Church

Detached three-bay double-height Catholic church, c.1840, on a cruciform plan comprising two-bay double-height nave with single-bay double-height transepts to north-west and to south-east, and single-bay double-height shallow chancel to north-east extending into single-bay single-storey sacristy with half-attic. Extensively renovated and reordered, c.1965. Pitched roof on a cruciform plan with replacement artificial slate, c.1965, clay ridge tiles, cut-stone bellcote to gable to south-west (with cast-iron bell, stringcourse, archivolt over with cut-stone voussoirs, and wrought iron cross finial), and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Painted replacement roughcast walls, c.1965, with rendered strips to corners. Round-headed window openings with replacement concrete sills, c.1965, and fixed-pane leaded stained glass windows. Round-headed door opening with painted red brick surround, replacement glazed timber double doors, c.1965, and overlight having leaded stained glass panels. Full-height interior reordered, c.1965, with glazed timber internal porch, carved timber pews, timber panelled galleries to first floor to transepts on polygonal pillars, and carved alabaster/marble altar fittings. Set back from road in own grounds with tarmacadam forecourt. (ii) Graveyard to site with various cut-stone grave markers, c.1840 – present.

An attractive, early post-Emancipation Catholic church of modest scale and appearance that, despite extensive renovation works following the Second Vatican Council (1963 - 1965), retains most of its original form and some of its early character. Some early fittings to the interior include finely detailed stained glass panels of considerable artistic design distinction. The markers to the attendant graveyard enhance the artistic quality of the site, and are indicative of high quality craftsmanship.