St Ambrose's Church, Speke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Ambrose's Church, Speke |
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St Ambrose's Church, Speke
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| Location | Heathgate Avenue, Speke, Liverpool, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 16 November 2007 |
| Architect(s) | Alfred Bullen |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Modernist |
| Groundbreaking | 1959 |
| Completed | 1961 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Reinforced concrete and brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Liverpool |
St Ambrose's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Speke, a part of Liverpool, England. It is an active parish church within the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The church is also recognized as a special building, listed as Grade II on the National Heritage List for England.
Contents
History of St Ambrose's Church
This church was built between 1959 and 1961. It was designed by Alfred Bullen, an architect from the firm Weightman and Bullen. He also had help from Jerzy Faczyński. The church was created to serve the people living in the Speke housing estate, which had started in the 1930s and grew a lot in the 1950s.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
The church is built with a strong frame of reinforced concrete, covered with bricks. It has a rectangular shape. The area where the altar is, called the sanctuary, stands freely.
To the north, there is a tall bell tower, known as a campanile. It stands about 84 feet (26 meters) high. A low building connects this tower to the main part of the church. On the south side, there is a Lady Chapel, also connected by a low section.
The main church building has concrete pillars around it that get narrower towards the top. Between these pillars, the lower part is made of brick, and the upper part has windows. These windows have curved tops, making them look like an arcade around the building. The bell tower is made of brick and has four sections marked by concrete bands. The top section holds a bell and is open. An illuminated cross sits at the very top of the bell tower.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has curved ceilings, called tunnel vaults, on three sides. A row of arches on square columns forms a walkway, known as an ambulatory, around the main space. The roof is flat and has special panels to help with sound.
The floor is made of terrazzo, a type of polished stone. The sanctuary area, where the altar is, is raised and made of marble. A stone altar sits on three steps. Next to it are a font for baptisms and a pulpit for sermons. There are pews (church benches) on three sides of the sanctuary for people to sit.
The church organ is placed high up above the entrance. Around the church, you can see artworks called Stations of the Cross by Adam Kossowski. The beautiful stained glass windows were made by Gounil and Philip Brown. There are also wall paintings behind the altar that were added in the 1990s. The pipe organ has two manuals (keyboards) and was built by Rushworth and Dreaper.
Why St Ambrose's Church is Special
St Ambrose's Church was officially recognized as a listed building on November 16, 2007. It is listed at Grade II. This means it is considered "nationally important and of special interest."
Experts have said that the building is "unusually broad and ambitious" and has not changed much since it was built. Some people have described the church as looking a bit like a "sports hall and boiler chimney," but they also say it's the best building in the Speke area. The church itself believes it was the first Roman Catholic church in England to be built with a rectangular shape and a free-standing altar.
See also
- Grade II listed buildings in Liverpool-L24
