Church Of St Bede And Attached Presbytery

SD 52 SE CLAYTON-LE-WOODS PRESTON ROAD

Church of St. Bede and attached 3/79 presbytery

GV II

Roman Catholic chapel, 1823, built by Thomas Burgess. Coursed sandstone, slate roof with modern pinnacled bellcote to chapel, one chimney to presbytery. Chapel has simple 3-bay rectangular plan entered at east end, presbytery attached at west end is slightly narrower and lower. Chapel has plinth, low sill-band, a band to the pediment of the gable; side walls have 2 simple buttresses and 3 round headed windows; in east front is round-headed doorway, which has fanlight with radiating glazing bars and double doors (now protected by bracketed canopy); at 1st floor 2 small lunettes with radiating glazing bars flanking a stone table with incised lettering:

Gloria et Honor Deo in Saecula Saeculorum Amen 1823

Interior: Single cell with 3 plain pilasters on each side, coved cornice, flat ceiling; east gallery on 4 slim iron columns (c. 1850), with an organ; sanctuary in unusual recessed rectangular bay with elliptical arch rising from flanking Ionic columns, the inner walls elaborately decorated with blind arcade of fluted pilasters and illuminated by a skylight; flanking this bay in the body of the Church and attached to the west wall are 4-seated sedilia which have above the backs unusual round-headed screen arcades of Ionic columns with rounded arches supporting a dentilled cornice. On each side, a doorway into the presbytery, under a detached dentilled cornice. Presbytery: Symmetrical gabled front of 3 bays, 2½ storeys, string course to pediment of gable; central round- headed doorway has fanlight with radiating glazing bars (now under a porch roof extended to the sides over bay windows of 1907); 3 tall flat floor windows, and 2 at attic level, all with altered glazing. Single storey service extension attached to left wall; right return wall has 1907 2-storey flat-roofed extension.

Listing NGR: SD5791723671