St Mary Immaculate Roman Catholic Church, Warwick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary Immaculate, Warwick |
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St Mary's Church from West Street
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 St Mary Immaculate, Warwick
Location in Warwickshire
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| 52°16′43″N 1°35′30″W / 52.2785°N 1.5916°W | |
| OS grid reference | SP 2796064565 |
| Location | Warwick, Warwickshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | https://www.stmary-immaculate.org.uk/ |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 24 February 1993 |
| Architect(s) | E. W. Pugin |
| Style | Decorated Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Birmingham |
| Province | Birmingham |
St Mary Immaculate is a busy Roman Catholic church in Warwick, England. You can find it on West Street, just outside the old West Gate of the town. This church was the first permanent Roman Catholic church built in Warwick. It was officially opened on 12 May 1860.
Contents
Welcome to St Mary Immaculate Church
A Historic Place of Worship
The church was designed by Edward Welby Pugin. He was the oldest son of the famous architect Augustus Pugin. The building is made from red brick and Bath stone. It is built in the beautiful Decorated Gothic style. This means it has fancy decorations and pointed arches.
St Mary Immaculate is a Grade II listed building. This means it is an important historical building. It is protected to make sure it lasts for many years. The church was one of the first in England to be named after the Immaculate Conception. This happened after a special religious teaching was made official in 1854. The church was officially set aside for holy use on 15 June 1939.
A Famous Author's Wedding
Did you know that a very famous author got married here? During the First World War (1914–1918), J. R. R. Tolkien married Edith Mary Bratt in this church. Tolkien wrote many books, including The Lord of the Rings. Their wedding happened on 22 March 1916. In July 2018, a special blue plaque was put up to remember their marriage.
The Church and Local School
The church has a close link with St Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School. The school was first in the building next to the church. This building was built in 1905 and is now the church hall. Since 1973, the school has been in a much bigger place. It is located next to Priory Park.
Inside the Church: Beautiful Art and Features
Colorful Stained Glass Windows
The church has many amazing stained glass windows. The three windows in the middle of the east side were finished in 1861. They were made by Hardman & Co from Birmingham.
The West Window is a large round window above the gallery. It was made by John Hardman Studios in the 1960s. This window shows Christ the King. It is surrounded by eight smaller windows that show different saints.
All the other stained glass windows were designed by a local artist. His name was Tony (Antoine) Dury. He was born in France and lived in Warwick.
The Sanctuary's Special Painting
In the church's sanctuary, there is a painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. This painting is in the center. There are also 18 other round pictures around it. These were painted by Thomas Fisher Norman in 1893. He worked for Hardman & Co.
The Baptismal Font
The stone font is used for baptisms. It has two brass plates on it. These plates are from 1860. They remember John and Elizabeth Norman. They were the parents of Thomas Fisher Norman, who worked for Hardman & Co.
The Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross are 14 paintings. They are on canvas and are set into decorated wall openings. These paintings were created by Rebecca Dulcibella Orpen. They were put in the church in 1897.
The Church Bells
The Main Bell Turret
Behind the west roof of the church is a bell turret. It is a wooden bell tower with a slate roof shaped like a spire. On top of it is an iron cross. There is also a stone cross in front of the turret. On the east roof, there is another iron cross.
The bell inside was made in 1860 by John Murphy of Dublin. This information comes from the records of Taylor's of Leicester. Taylor's is a bell-making company that has been around since the 1300s.
The Church Hall Bell
The bell in the church hall's bell tower has "John Taylor & Co" written on it. It also says "Ave Maria." Taylor's records show that this bell was 15 inches wide. It made the note 'C' and weighed "2 quarters and 2 pounds." It was ordered on 27 September 1904. The company sent it out on 14 October 1904. Taylor's fixed this bell in 2019.
