St George's Roman Catholic Church, Taunton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St George |
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The church tower
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 Church of St George
Location in Somerset
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| 51°00′47″N 3°05′53″W / 51.013°N 3.098°W | |
| Location | Taunton, Somerset |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 24 April 1860 |
| Founder(s) | Canon John Mitchell |
| Dedication | Saint George |
| Consecrated | 23 April 1912 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Benjamin Bucknall |
| Years built | 1858–1912 |
| Groundbreaking | 19 August 1858 |
| Completed | 23 April 1912 |
| Construction cost | £6,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 350 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St George, Taunton |
| Deanery | St Dunstan |
| Diocese | Clifton |
| Province | Birmingham |
The Church of St George is a Catholic church in Taunton, Somerset. It was built in the mid-1800s. This church was the second Catholic church in Taunton after the Reformation. The Reformation was a time when many churches in England changed from Catholic to Protestant. St George's replaced an older, smaller church called St George's Chapel.
The main church building is a special historic place. It is called a Grade II* listed building by Historic England. This means it is very important and protected. The house next to it, where the priest lives (called the rectory), is also listed as Grade II.
The number of Catholic people in Taunton grew a lot in the 1800s. The old St George's Chapel became too small. The land for the new Church of St George was given by the Franciscan Convent in Taunton. Money for building it was raised by the priest, Rev John Mitchell. The church opened in 1860, but work continued for many years. A rectory and a school were also built nearby. The church was officially blessed and opened for full use in 1912.
St George's Church was built in a style called Gothic Revival. This style looks like old medieval churches. It reminds people of the famous Somerset towers. Today, St George's is one of two Catholic churches in Taunton. The other is the Church of St Teresa's.
Contents
The Church's Story: How it Began
After the Reformation in the 1500s, there were very few Catholics in Taunton. In 1787, a Catholic priest came to Taunton. Four years later, Catholic churches were allowed by law. The priest set up a small chapel in a house. About 30 years later, a proper church, St George's Chapel, was built. By then, there were about 120 Catholics in the town.
The old chapel could hold 200 people. By the 1850s, the Catholic population in Taunton had grown a lot. The chapel was no longer big enough for everyone.
Building a New Church
In 1858, the nearby Franciscan Convent bought some land. They gave this land to build a new church, a rectory (priest's house), and a school. The priest in Taunton, Rev John Mitchell, had big plans. He wanted a tall spire on the church, like the one on Salisbury Cathedral.
People started raising money for the church. The first stone was laid on August 19, 1858. This was done by Bishop William Clifford. The building work began with designs by Benjamin Bucknall.
The church opened less than two years later, on April 24, 1860. Bishop William Vaughan led the first Mass. Other bishops, Francis Amherst and James Brown, also gave talks.
Completing the Buildings
The rectory was finished soon after the church. The school opened in 1870. Before that, lessons were held in a room at the old St George's Chapel. Work on the church tower continued. More money was collected in 1875.
The church was officially blessed on April 23, 1912. The Bishop of Clifton led the ceremony. Many other priests helped him. In June 1928, a beautiful stained glass window was added. It was put on the west side of the church. This window was a special memory for Canon James O'Shaughnessy. He was the priest of St George's from 1911 until he passed away in 1927. A few years later, a hall for the church community was built in the rectory garden.
St George's Today
A second Catholic church opened in Taunton in 1959. It is called the Church of Saint Teresa of Lisieux. It is in the Priorswood area of town. In 2010, there were about 5,000 Catholics in Taunton. The current priest of St George's is Fr Tom Dubois.
Church Design: What it Looks Like
The Church of St George is built from red Monkton stone. It has special Bath stone decorations. It is designed in an early 14th-century Gothic style. This style tries to look like churches from the Middle Ages.
The church's design is similar to the famous Somerset towers. These are tall, decorated church towers found in Somerset. The original plan for St George's had a tower that was 89 feet (27 meters) tall. It was supposed to have a spire on top, rising another 105 feet (32 meters). However, the spire was never built.
The main entrance to the church is a set of large doors on the tower. They face Billet Street. The church cost about £6,000 to build. Inside, the church has a clerestory above the main part, called the nave. This is typical of Gothic churches. A clerestory is a row of windows high up, letting in light. Most of the windows are in a style called "Decorated Gothic." The chancel (the area around the altar) has two smaller chapels on its sides. These are at the ends of the aisles (walkways).
The Rectory Building
The church is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is very important and protected. The rectory, which is the priest's house, is also listed as Grade II. The rectory is connected to the church on the south-west side. It looks like a "late medieval or Tudor style" building.
The rectory has two floors. It is made of white brick with stone decorations. There is a two-story porch with strong supports. It has a large archway for the entrance. The roof is steep and has patterned slate tiles.
