St Tarcisius Church, Camberley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Tarcisius Church
East side of the church
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OS grid reference	TQ2569970492
Location	Camberley
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	CBParish.co.uk
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint Tarcisius
Consecrated	26 June 1926
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	3 March 2005
Architect(s)	Frederick Walters
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	12 September 1923
Completed	18 November 1924
Construction cost	£13,500
Administration
Parish	Camberley & Bagshot
Deanery	Woking
Diocese	Arundel and Brighton
Province	Southwark

St Tarcisius Church is a Roman Catholic church in Camberley, Surrey. It's a special kind of church called a Parish church, which means it serves a local community. This church was built a long time ago, between 1923 and 1924. A famous architect named Frederick Walters designed it. You can find it on London Road, just north of Camberley town, right next to The Atrium Shopping Centre. It's also a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building.

History of St Tarcisius Church

Early Days of the Church

The story of St Tarcisius Church began in 1869. A priest named Father Thomas Purcell would travel from Aldershot to Camberley. He held Mass (a special church service) for the local Catholic people in their homes. For the next four years, Catholics in Camberley often went to St Joseph's Church, Aldershot for Mass.

In 1873, a piece of land was bought for £120. This land was meant for building a school. The next year, in 1874, a priest named Father McKenna was chosen to stay permanently in Camberley. He was there to serve the Catholic community.

In 1879, a kind person named Lady Southwell gave another piece of land. This is the land where St Tarcisius Church stands today. By 1884, a temporary iron church was built on this land. It was a simple church, but it gave the growing number of churchgoers a place to worship. Later, in 1888, a house for the priest was built. The school was also made bigger in 1896.

Building the Permanent Church

In 1906, Father Patrick Twomey came to Camberley. He had a big plan: to build a new, permanent church. On 12 September 1923, the first stone of the new church was laid. This important event was done by Peter Amigo, who was the Bishop of Southwark at the time.

The church officially opened on 18 November 1924. Frederick Walters designed it as a special way to remember British Catholic soldiers. These soldiers had bravely fought and died in the First World War. The church also served as a place of worship for Catholic students at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. On 26 June 1926, the church was officially consecrated (made sacred) by Cardinal Francis Bourne. Later, in 1935, beautiful stained-glass windows were added to the church. These windows were designed by an artist named Paul Woodroffe.

Architecture and Design

Outside the Church

St Tarcisius Church has a tower on its north-west side. The church is built using a type of stone called Bargate stone. The top of the tower has a special design called crenellation, which looks like the top of a castle wall. There's also a porch (a covered entrance) under the tower. Above the main entrance, you can see a window with fancy stone patterns called tracery.

The church also has parts that stick out on the sides, called transepts. These transepts have pointed roofs, known as gabled roofs, and they also have traceried windows. Above the chancel (the part of the church near the altar), there is a large window with five sections and more beautiful tracery.

Inside the Church

When you go inside the porch, you'll see special memorial plaques made of marble. These plaques remember important people or events. The main part of the church, called the nave, has a ceiling made of pine wood. The arches that separate the nave from the side aisles, and the arches inside the transepts, are made of Bath stone. The church still has its original pews (the long wooden benches where people sit). These pews are made of oak wood and have been there since the church was first built.

Parish Information

Since 2007, St Tarcisius Church has been part of a larger group of churches called the parish of Camberley & Bagshot. This group also includes Christ the King Church in Bagshot and St Peter & St John Church in Old Dean. They work together so that their Mass times don't clash.

• St Tarcisius Church has Sunday Mass at 9:15 am.
• Christ the King Church has its Sunday Mass at 11:15 am.
• St Peter & St John Church has its Sunday Mass on Saturday afternoon at 5:30 pm.

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton