Church Of St Francis

CHESTER CITY (IM)

SJ4065NW GROSVENOR STREET 595-1/5/202 (North West side) Church of St Francis

GV II

Capuchin Franciscan Church of St Francis. 1863-75. By J O'Byrne. Red sandstone with banded grey and purple slate roof. EXTERIOR: expressed externally as a hall church, with narthex porch at west end having gabled front with hip-roofed wings. Paired oak-boarded west doors on wrought-iron hinges in shoulder-arched openings with pointed-arched 5-light leaded window above. A pair of 2-light Geometrical windows in the west gable of the nave flank a statue of St Francis in a canopied niche. The north side of the church is simply expressed with 7 pairs of shoulder-arched 1-light windows; stone crosses on west and east end gables; a small stained glass window in north end of narthex. The south side of the church is similar to the north side, but largely concealed, as is the east end. INTERIOR: is largely plastered, painted and lined as if stone. West gallery on octagonal pitch-pine posts has organ, north. Wood-block floor. 6 arch-braced trusses on corbels. Arched chancel with smaller arched chapel to each side, continuous with nave. 2 altars to each side of nave. Reredoses behind High Altar and altars of side chapels. Commemorative tables: DEUS MEUS ET OMNIA; of your Charity pray for the repose of the Soul of the VERY REV. FATHER PACIFICUS O.S.F.C. who rebuilt this church in 1875. He died at Bruges Belgium Nov.21 1888 aged 55 years R.I.P. and DEUS MEUS ET OMNIA; Of your Charity pray for the soul of the REV. FATHER VENATIUS O.S.F.C. who laboured for many years in the Mission and commenced this Church in 1863. He died in Gwalior, India, July 4th 1884 Aged 55 years. R.I.P. (Bartholomew City Guides: Harris B: Chester: Edinburgh: 20).

Listing NGR: SJ4045466001