St George's Roman Catholic Church, Taunton

Last updated

Church of St George
St George's RC Church, Taunton.jpg
The church tower
Somerset UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Church of St George
Location in Somerset
51°00′47″N3°05′53″W / 51.013°N 3.098°W / 51.013; -3.098
Location Taunton, Somerset
CountryUnited Kingdom
Denomination Catholic
Website tauntonvalecatholics.com
History
Status Parish church
Founded24 April 1860 (1860-04-24)
Founder(s)Canon John Mitchell
Dedication Saint George
Consecrated 23 April 1912
Architecture
Architect(s) Benjamin Bucknall
Years built1858–1912
Groundbreaking 19 August 1858
Completed23 April 1912
Construction cost£6,000
Specifications
Capacity350
Administration
Province Birmingham
Diocese Clifton
Deanery St Dunstan [1]
Parish St George, Taunton
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameThe Roman Catholic Church of St George
Designated4 July 1975
Reference no.1231201
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameRectory adjoining The Roman Catholic Church of St George
Designated4 July 1975
Reference no.1060068

The Church of St George is a Roman Catholic church in Taunton, Somerset, which dates from the mid-19th century. It was the second Catholic church to be built in Taunton after the Reformation, replacing the much smaller St George's Chapel. The main church building is designated by Historic England as a Grade II* listed building, while the rectory is Grade II listed.

Contents

The Catholic community in Taunton grew throughout the 19th century and within 40 years of the completion of St George's Chapel, it was considered too small. The Church of St George was built on land donated by the town's Franciscan Convent, with funding raised by the rector, Rev John Mitchell. It was opened in 1860, although building work continued over the following decades, and a rectory and school were both added to the site. The church was not consecrated until 1912.

St George's was built during the Gothic Revival, and bears resemblance to the Somerset towers. It currently serves as one of two Catholic churches in Taunton, along with the Church of St Teresa's.

History

After the Reformation in the 16th century, Catholicism all but died in Taunton; an 1824 publication, The Protestant's Companion, noted that prior to the 19th century, "there were no Papists in Taunton". [2] This was a slight exaggeration; in 1787 a Mission Rector was sent to Taunton, and four years later, when Catholic chapels were legalised, he registered a chapel in a house on Canon Street. A permanent church, St George's Chapel, was built around thirty years later, by which time it was estimated that there were around 120 Catholics in the town. [3] The chapel could seat 200 people, and by the 1850s the Catholic population of Taunton had swelled to an extent that the chapel was no longer big enough for them. [4]

The nearby Franciscan Convent purchased a plot of land adjacent to their own in 1858, which they donated for the purpose of building a new church, rectory and school. The rector of Taunton at the time, Rev John Mitchell, had grand plans including "a spire to rival that of Salisbury." [lower-alpha 1] [4] In May 1858, an advertisement appeared in the Taunton Courier for a fund-raising bazaar and lottery for "building the tower and spire", [5] though the lottery was banned by the police. [6] The first stone was laid on 19 August 1858, by the Right Rev William Clifford, the Bishop of Clifton, and building commenced to a design by Benjamin Bucknall. [7] The church was opened just under two years later on 24 April 1860, with William Vaughan, Bishop of Plymouth, leading the Mass, while Francis Amherst, Bishop of Northampton, and James Brown, Bishop of Shrewsbury gave sermons throughout the day. [8]

The rectory was completed shortly after the church, while the school was opened in 1870; lessons had previously been given in a room at the back of St George's Chapel. [9] Work continued on the tower, and further funds were collected in 1875; [10] the following year, one of the builders, George Toller, died after falling around 100 feet (30 m) from the scaffolding. [11] The church was consecrated on 23 April 1912 by the Bishop of Clifton, who was assisted by 24 priests for the ceremony. [12] A stained glass window was added to the west side of the church in June 1928, as a memorial to Canon James O'Shaughnessy who had served as rector of St George's from 1911 until his death in 1927. [13] A few years later, a parish hall was built in the rectory garden. [14]

A second Catholic church was opened in Taunton in 1959; dedicated to Saint Teresa of Lisieux, it is located in the Priorswood area to the north of the town. [4] The Taunton Catholic Church website estimated that there were around 5,000 Catholics in Taunton in 2010. [15] The current rector of St George's is Fr Tom Dubois.

Architecture

The church is built of red Monkton stone, with Bath stone ashlar dressings in an early 14th-century Gothic fashion. Nikolaus Pevsner described it as being a "competent imitation" of a Somerset tower, although he notes that the detailing is more flowing than the typical Perpendicular Gothic style of the Somerset towers. [16] The original design by Bucknall featured an 89 feet (27 m) tall tower, topped by a spire which ascended a further 105 feet (32 m), but the spire was never built. The main entrance to the church is a set of large doors on the tower, facing out onto Billet Street. The cost of the building was estimated at £6,000. [7] The church features a clerestoried nave typical of Gothic churches, and the windows are predominantly of the Decorated Gothic style. The chancel is flanked by two side chapels, which are at the ends of aisles.[ citation needed ]

The church is designated by Historic England as a Grade II* listed building, [17] and forms a group with the rectory, which is Grade II listed. [18] The rectory is attached to the south-west end of the church, and is of a "late medieval or Tudor style". It is a two-storey building of white brick with ashlar dressings. There is a two-storey porch with diagonal buttresses and a large entrance arch. The roof is steep, with patterned slate tiles. [18]

Notes

  1. Referring to the 404 feet (123 m) high spire on Salisbury Cathedral.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Gilbert Scott</span> English architect (1811–1878)

Sir George Gilbert Scott, largely known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started his career as a leading designer of workhouses. Over 800 buildings were designed or altered by him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica (Toronto)</span> Church in Ontario, Canada

St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, Canada, and one of the oldest churches in Toronto. It is located at 65 Bond Street in Toronto's Garden District. St. Michael's was designed by William Thomas, designer of eight other churches in the city, and was primarily financed by Irish immigrants who resided in the area. The cathedral has a capacity of 1600. John Cochrane and Brothers undertook the work on the stone and stucco ornamentation of the interior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University Church of St Mary the Virgin</span> Church in Oxford, England

The University Church of St Mary the Virgin is an English church in Oxford situated on the north side of the High Street. It is the centre from which the University of Oxford grew and its parish consists almost exclusively of university and college buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St James' Church, Louth</span> Church in Lincolnshire, England

St James' Church, Louth, is the Anglican parish church of Louth in Lincolnshire, England. It is notable for having the third tallest spire in the whole of the United Kingdom. The church was the site of the Lincolnshire Rising, starting in October 1537 and led by the vicar, who was drawn and quartered for his actions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taunton Minster</span> Church in Taunton, England

Taunton Minster (St Mary Magdalene church) is a Church of England parish minster church in Taunton, Somerset, England, dedicated to Jesus' companion Mary Magdalene. It was completed in 1508 and is in the Early Tudor Perpendicular Gothic style. It is designated as a Grade I listed building. It is notable for its very tall tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Anglican Church, Kangaroo Point</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

St Mary's Anglican Church is a heritage-listed churchyard at 433, 447 & 449 Main Street, Kangaroo Point, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard George Suter and built in 1873 by Alfred Grant. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Joseph's Convent, Taunton</span> Complex of buildings in Taunton, England

St Joseph's Convent is a complex of 18th- and 19th-century buildings in Taunton, Somerset, which were primarily used as a Roman Catholic convent, first by the Franciscans, and then Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy. The buildings were sold out of the Catholic church in 1976, and were redeveloped as residential flats in 2005. The main building is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, while the boundary walls on the west side are Grade II listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masonic Hall, Taunton</span> Grade II listed building in Taunton, UK

The Masonic Hall in Taunton, Somerset, is designated by Historic England as a Grade II* listed building. It was originally built in the early 19th century as St George's Chapel, the first Roman Catholic chapel open for public worship in Taunton since the Reformation. The building, which forms the end of a terrace, features a series of prominent Ionic pilasters along the front and southern end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Crescent, Taunton</span> Street in Taunton, United Kingdom

The Crescent is a street in Taunton, a town in the English county of Somerset. Construction began in 1807, during a period of extensive redevelopment in the town, driven by the Market House Society and the Member of Parliament Sir Benjamin Hammet. Lined on the eastern side by a Georgian terrace, the street follows a shallow crescent shape, broken in the middle by Crescent Way and a bit further south by St George's Place. It links Upper High Street, at its southern end, with Park Street and Tower Street to the north. On the western side, Somerset County Council have their offices in the County Hall, erected in 1935, and extended in the 1960s. The Georgian terrace, the Masonic Hall, and the County Hall are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as listed buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taunton Unitarian Chapel</span> Church in Somerset, England

Taunton Unitarian Chapel is on Mary Street, Taunton, Somerset, England. It was built in the early 18th century as a Baptist chapel, but later adopted Unitarianism. The exterior was extensively renovated in the 19th century in an Italianate style. The chapel has been designated as a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Gregory's Church, Cheltenham</span> Church in Cheltenham, United Kingdom

St Gregory the Great Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. It was founded in 1809 and rebuilt from 1854 to 1857. It is situated on the corner of St James' Square and Clarence Street. It was designed by Charles Hansom and is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St James's Church, Trowbridge</span> Church in Wiltshire, United Kingdom

St James's Church is the main Church of England parish church for the town of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. The 15th-century Grade I listed building is the town's most prominent landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Andrew's Church, Taunton</span> Church in Somerset, England

St Andrew's Church is a Church of England church in Taunton, Somerset, England. Designed by J. Houghton Spencer, it was built in 1880–81 and has been a Grade II listed building since 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Saints Church, Isle Brewers</span> Church in Somerset, England

All Saints Church is a Church of England parish church in Isle Brewers, Somerset, England. Designed by Charles Edmund Giles, it was built in 1859-61 and has been a Grade II listed building since 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Etheldreda, West Quantoxhead</span> Church in Somerset, England

The Church of St Etheldreda, also known as the Church of St Audries, is a Church of England parish church in West Quantoxhead, Somerset, England. Designed by John Norton, it was built in 1854-56 and is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St James' Church, East Cranmore</span> Church in Somerset, England

St James' Church is a former Church of England church in East Cranmore, Somerset, England. Designed by Thomas Henry Wyatt, it was built in 1846 to replace an earlier church on the same site and closed in 1958. The church, now a private residence, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St James the Less, Hambridge</span> Church in Somerset, England

The Church of St James the Less is a Church of England parish church in Hambridge, Somerset, England. It was designed by Benjamin Ferrey and built in 1842–44. The church has been a Grade II listed building since 1988. Adjacent the church is a former national school, which was built in 1844 and is also Grade II listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street Mission Church</span> Church in Somerset, England

Street Mission Church is a Church of England church in Street, Somerset, England. The church was built in 1990 on the site of an earlier tin tabernacle which had been in use since 1898.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St John the Evangelist, Tatworth</span> Church in Somerset, England

The Church of St John the Evangelist is a Church of England parish church in Tatworth, Somerset, England. It was built in 1850–51 to the design of Charles Pinch of Bath and is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St John's Church, East Horrington</span> Church in Somerset, England

St John's Church is a former Church of England church in East Horrington, Somerset, England. It was built in 1838 to the designs of Richard Carver and closed in 1975. The former church is now converted to residential use and is a Grade II listed building.

References

  1. "Parishes". Clifton Diocese. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  2. Daubeny, Charles (1824). The Protestant's Companion. London: C & J Rivington. p. 371.
  3. "History". Taunton Catholic Church. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "History page 2". Taunton Catholic Church. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  5. "St George's New Catholic Church, Taunton" . Taunton Courier. 19 May 1858. Retrieved 18 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "St George's New Catholic Church" . Taunton Courier. 26 May 1858. Retrieved 18 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. 1 2 "The New Roman Catholic Church and Presbytery of St. John, Taunton" . Taunton Courier. 25 August 1858. Retrieved 18 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "St George's New Roman Catholic Church" . Taunton Courier. 25 April 1860. Retrieved 18 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "History 3". Taunton Catholic Church. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  10. "Taunton News" . Taunton Courier. 30 June 1875. Retrieved 21 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Taunton News" . Taunton Courier. 16 February 1876. Retrieved 21 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Notes" . Devon and Exeter Gazette. 25 April 1912. Retrieved 21 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Memorial at St George's, Taunton" . Taunton Courier. 27 June 1928. Retrieved 21 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "New Parochial Hall Opened" . Taunton Courier. 21 December 1932. Retrieved 21 February 2015 via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "History 4". Taunton Catholic Church. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  16. Pevsner, Nikolaus (2001) [1958]. The Buildings of England: South and West Somerset. London: Penguin Books. p. 313. ISBN   0-14-071014-0.
  17. Historic England. "The Roman Catholic Church of St George (1231201)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  18. 1 2 Historic England. "Rectory adjoining the Roman Catholic Church of St George (1060068)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 4 April 2015.