St Marie's Church, Rugby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Marie's Church, Rugby |
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St Marie's church
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| 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 a very important 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.
Contents
History of St Marie's Church
Why the Church Was Built
The story of St Marie's Church began in 1839. A man named Captain Washington Hibbert, who lived nearby, married Julia Tichborne. Julia was Catholic, but there wasn't a Catholic church in Rugby at that time. To solve this, Captain Hibbert bought some land on Dunchurch Road. He wanted to build a church for the Catholic community.
Designing and Building the Church
Captain Hibbert hired a famous architect named Augustus Pugin to design the church. Pugin was known for his amazing Gothic revival style, which looked like buildings from the Middle Ages. The church first opened its doors in 1847.
Over the years, the church grew. In 1864, Augustus Pugin's son, Edward Welby Pugin, made the church even bigger. Later, in 1872, a very tall and thin spire was added. This spire was designed by Bernard Whelan and reaches almost 200 feet (61 metres) into the sky!
A Protected Landmark
Because of its special design and history, St Marie's Church has been a Grade II* listed building since 1949. 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 still an active and important part of the community. It belongs to the Rugby Deanery within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham. People continue to gather here for services and community events.
