Holy Rood Church, Swindon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Rood Church |
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 Holy Rood Church
Location in Wiltshire
Holy Rood Church
Location in England
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| 51°33′31″N 1°46′41″W / 51.558505°N 1.778172°W | |
| OS grid reference | SU1547584426 |
| Location | Swindon |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | HolyRoodSwindon.co.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Feast of the Cross |
| Consecrated | 1 September 1932 |
| Events | Moved in 1882 Rebuilt in 1905 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Edward Doran Webb |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1905 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | St Aldhelm |
| Diocese | Clifton |
| Province | Birmingham |
Holy Rood Church is a Roman Catholic church in Swindon, England. It started as a small chapel in 1851. Later, it was rebuilt into the larger church you see today in 1905.
The church is located in the center of Swindon. You can find it at the corner of Groundwell Road and Lincoln Street. It was designed by Edward Doran Webb. He used a style called Gothic Revival. This church was the first Roman Catholic church built in Swindon since the time of the Reformation.
Contents
History of Holy Rood Church
How the Church Started
In 1848, a Catholic group began meeting in Swindon. This was before the Catholic Church was fully re-established in England. A priest from a church in Fairford would visit once a month. He would lead their main church service, called Mass.
In 1851, a small chapel was built for the growing group. It was located between Regent Street and Sanford Street. By 1857, the chapel had its own priest living there. However, by 1882, the chapel became too small. More and more local Catholics were joining the church.
So, the community bought an old church building. It was a Unitarian church in Regent Circus. The Unitarians had built this church in the 1860s. It was finished in 1875 and cost about £2,500. This building was also in the Gothic Revival style. In 1887, a vestry was added. This is a room where priests get ready for services.
Building the New Church
By the early 1900s, the number of Catholics in Swindon kept growing. People decided it was time to build a brand new, bigger church. They asked architect Edward Doran Webb to design it. He had also designed other important churches, like the Birmingham Oratory.
The new church was built on Groundwell Road. It was also designed in the Gothic Revival style, which was popular then. In 1905, the new Holy Rood Church officially opened its doors.
After the church was built, the local priest, Canon J. J. Noonan, worked hard. Starting in 1926, he tried to raise money to pay off the building costs. They needed between £6,000 and £7,000. Six years later, in 1932, the debt was finally paid. On September 1, 1932, the church was officially dedicated. This special ceremony was led by William Lee, who was the Bishop of Clifton.
About the Parish
Holy Rood Church is right next to Holy Rood Catholic Primary School.
The church holds several Masses each weekend. These are the main services for the Catholic community. There is one Mass on Saturday evening at 6:15 p.m. On Sunday, there are four Masses: at 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m.
See also
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton
