St Marie's Church, Rugby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Marie's Church, Rugby |
|
|---|---|
St Marie's church
|
|
| 52°21′59″N 1°15′49″W / 52.366485°N 1.263718°W | |
| Location | Dunchurch Road, Rugby, Warwickshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 11 October 1949 |
| Architect(s) | Augustus Pugin E. W. Pugin Bernard Whelan |
| Architectural type | Gothic revival |
| Years built | 1847-1872 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Rugby Deanery |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham |
St Marie's Church is the main Roman Catholic church in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. You can find it south of the town centre on Dunchurch Road. It's one of Rugby's most famous buildings because its tall spire stands out against the sky.
How St Marie's Church Began
The church was built thanks to Captain Washington Hibbert. He married Julia Tichborne, a Catholic woman, in 1839. At that time, there wasn't a Catholic church in Rugby for people like Julia to worship.
To help, Captain Hibbert bought some land on Dunchurch Road. He then asked a famous architect named Augustus Pugin to design a church. The church first opened its doors in 1847. It was built in a style called Gothic Revival, which looks like old medieval churches.
Growing the Church Building
The church became bigger over time. In 1864, Augustus Pugin's son, Edward Welby Pugin, added more parts to the building. Later, in 1872, a very tall and thin spire was added. This spire was designed by Bernard Whelan and stands almost 200 feet (61 metres) high!
Since 1949, St Marie's Church has been a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
St Marie's Church Today
Today, St Marie's Church is an active place of worship. It is part of the Rugby Deanery and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham.
