Sacred Heart Church, Petworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady of Sorrows Church |
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| 50°59′10″N 0°36′23″W / 50.9861°N 0.6065°W | |
| OS grid reference | SU9790821667 |
| Location | Petworth, West Sussex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | SacredHeartPetworth.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founder(s) | Charles Willock Dawes |
| Dedication | Most Sacred Heart of Jesus |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 22 May 1985 |
| Architect(s) | Frederick Walters |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1894 |
| Completed | 1896 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Petworth and Midhurst |
| Deanery | Cathedral |
| Diocese | Arundel and Brighton |
| Province | Southwark |
The Sacred Heart Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Petworth, West Sussex, England. It was built in 1896 and designed by an architect named Frederick Walters. You can find it on Angel Street, just north of the Petworth Cottage Museum in the middle of town. This church is built in the Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like older Gothic churches. It is also a Grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historical building.
Contents
History of Sacred Heart Church
Before this church was built, local Catholic people in Petworth went to St Richard's Church in Burton Park. A few years after St Richard's was built, a special Christian group, called a mission, started in Petworth. A priest would travel from Burton Park to Petworth to lead Mass (a church service). Later, the priest's house in Burton Park became too old to live in, so the priest moved to Petworth.
Building the Church
In 1893, a man named Charles Willock Dawes bought the land where the church now stands. The first stone for the church was laid in 1894. Charles Dawes asked Frederick Walters to design the church. Dawes wanted the church to look like the Sacred Heart Church in Hove. Building the church cost a lot of money, about £15,000. The house for the priest was also designed with help from the first priest, Canon Lalor.
The church officially opened in 1896. The beautiful stained-glass windows inside were made by Lavers & Westlake. The metal decorations were made by Hardman & Co.. The very first Mass held in the church was for the funeral of Charles Dawes' wife. Charles Dawes himself passed away on Christmas Day in 1899. Both he and his wife are buried in a special crypt (an underground room) beneath the church.
Churches in the Parish
The Sacred Heart Church is part of a larger church area called a parish. This parish also includes two other churches: the Church of the Divine Motherhood and St Francis of Assisi in Midhurst, and St Anthony and St George Church in Duncton. Both of these churches are also important historical buildings, listed as Grade II.
Church of the Divine Motherhood and St Francis of Assisi
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During a time in history called the English Reformation, local Catholic people used to worship at Cowdray House. In 1767, a nobleman named Viscount Montagu helped pay for a Catholic mission in Eastbourne. This mission ended in 1858.
The current Church of the Divine Motherhood and St Francis of Assisi replaced an older church, which was called St Francis of Assisi Church. The old church was built between 1868 and 1869. It was designed by Charles Alban Buckler, who also designed St Richard of Chichester Church in Slindon. When the new church opened, the old one became a restaurant. As the number of local Catholic people grew, the land for the new church was bought in 1891.
Building the Church of the Divine Motherhood and St Francis of Assisi started in 1957. The church opened its doors in 1962. In 1965, a sculpture of Madonna and Child (Mary and baby Jesus) by Richard Guyatt was placed above the main entrance. The church was officially blessed and dedicated in May 1966. It cost £35,000 to build, not including its tower. Even though the architect, Guy Morgan, was not happy with some of the inside decorations, the church was still listed as a Grade II building because of its design and sculptures. Inside, there is a special chapel and altars dedicated to different saints.
St Anthony and St George Church
St Anthony and St George Church was started by Anthony Wright Biddulph, who owned Burton Park. In 1868, the first stone for this church was laid by the Bishop of Southwark, Thomas Grant. The church was built a short distance from St Richard's Church in Burton Park. It cost £5,000 to build. The architect was Gilbert Blount, and the builders were John Ellis of Chichester. The church was officially blessed by Cardinal Manning. When Biddulph died in 1895, he was buried in the church's crypt. This church became a Grade II listed building on April 27, 2015.
Mass Times
If you want to attend a service, here are the times:
- Sacred Heart Church has two Sunday Masses:
- Saturday evening at 5:30 PM
- Sunday morning at 11:00 AM
- The Church of the Divine Motherhood and St Francis of Assisi also has two Masses:
- Saturday evening at 6:00 PM
- Sunday morning at 9:30 AM
- St Anthony and St George Church has one Sunday Mass:
- Sunday morning at 8:00 AM
See also
- List of current places of worship in Chichester District
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton
