St Mary Immaculate Church - West Street, Warwick, UK
N 52° 16.715 W 001° 35.506
30U E 596072 N 5792957
The church is on the south east side of West Street in the south west of Warwick. The church was built between 1859-60 to a design by Edward Welby Pugun.
Waymark Code: WMHN7B
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/26/2013
Views: 3
The church is Grade II listed with the entry at the
English Heritage website telling us:
Roman Catholic church. 1859-60 by
Edward Welby Pugin.
Red brick with stone dressings. Slate roof with gabled west end and
semi-conical east end.
PLAN: Nave with gallery at west end, apsidal sanctuary and North and South
aisles with east chapels. High Victorian Gothic style.
EXTERIOR: The west gable has large plate-tracery rose window in moulded
pointed arch flanked by buttresses , quadruple pointed arch windows below
and statue niche to right, the whole west front is divided by broad stone
bands, the lowest band continues into gallery turret on right and on left
pointed arch doorway into end of lean-to aisle. On the sides above the
aisles sexfoil clerestory windows. On ridge set back behind the west gable a
timber bellcote with a slate spire with a wrought iron cross. Similar
crosses over apse and galley stair tower.
INTERIOR: Is lighted from the clerestory and west window only and the nave
and apse are in one and have an arched brace roof on corbels with exposed
purlins and rafters. Plastered walls with painted decoration. 3-bay N & S
arcades with moulded pointed arches on circular piers. Painted bands above
arcades continue into apse where there are painted roundels of the Saints by
Alphege Pippet of Hardman and Co. High in apse a sexfoil window in a pointed
arch flanked by cusped lancets with colonettes. The clerestory windows have
pointed rear arches. At the west end a timber gallery with organ. Painted
stations of the cross in blind aisle windows. Sanctuary reordered. Carved
stone altar panel depicting the last supper and stone reredos with angels in
arcade. Stone Polygonal pulpit. Benches complete. Stained glass by Tony
Drury.
The
church's
website carries a copy of an article of the church's opening in 1860:
12th June 1860
"The new Catholic Church recently erected in the county town of Warwick, and
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, in honour of the Immaculate Conception, was
opened on Tuesday last, when High Mass celebrated by the Lord Bishop of
Birmingham, (Bishop Ullathorne), assisted by a large body of clergy from the
diocese and others who had come from a distance to take part in the solemn
ceremony ...
The weather on Tuesday morning was most unpropitious, heavy rain decending
without intermission until noon ... Notwithstanding, however, the drenching
rain, there was a large attendance of Catholics from Leamington, Birmingham
and other places and at the hour appointed for the commencement of service
the church was well filled with a highly respectable congregation ...
After the gospel the Rt Reverend Dr Amherst, bishop of Northampton, having
ascended the altar steps, preached an eloquent and impressive sermon. His
Lordship took his text from the xxii. verse of the 16th chapter of St John;
"so also, you now indeed have sorrow, but I will see you again and your
heart shall rejoice and your joy no man can take from you." At the
conclusion of the sermon the service was resumed and terminated at one
o'clock. Mozart's Mass No. 1 was sung by an efficient choir from Leamington
under the direction of Mr Aspa, and the musical arrangements were highly
creditable to the gentleman. (The collection was taken by Lady Dormer and
other ladies.)
The chapel of Our Lady is situated at the end of the southern aisle and is
at present adorned with a statue of the Blessed Virgin, presented by the
bishop of Marseilles to the Stratford mission and with history of which our
readers are already familiar!
From the Tablet of June 1860.
The
church's
website also lists the times of services:
Sunday
8.30 am and 10.30 am
Saturday
6.30 pm (Vigil Mass)
Sacrament of Reconciliation
10.30 am - 11.15 am (Saturday)
5.30 pm - 6.15 pm (Saturday)