Front Portico And Towers Of The Former St Augustines Of Canterbury Rc Church

The front portico and flanking towers of the former St Augustine's of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church in Preston.

The building was originally designed by the architect F. W. Tuach and constructed between 1838 and 1840. It was enlarged in 1879 and substantially modified to plans by Sinnott, Sinnott and Powell in 1890.

The structure is built in red brick with sandstone ashlar and sandstone dressings, arranged in a sub-rectangular plan. An unlisted modern addition is attached to the south side.

The north front elevation features a pedimented ashlar portico with Ionic columns arranged distyle in antis, topped by a dentilled pediment. Flanking the portico are rectangular single-storey flat-roofed side porches, predominantly in ashlar with small front windows beneath cornices. The portico's inner double timber door has a moulded architrave with a panel above. A commemorative plaque recording the names of parishioners who died during the First World War is affixed to the wall to the right of the doorway.

The two prominent side towers dominate the composition, executed in brick with sandstone dressings in an Italian Renaissance style. The towers' brickwork features rusticated horizontal banding almost to full height, with pedimented stone aedicules to the front and returns, and a dentilled cornice continuing from the junction with the portico and around the return. Lintels, sills and moulded horizontal banding are in sandstone. The towers are finished with octagonal cupolas topped by crosses. At a slightly lower height, a rising stone parapet between the towers is topped by a centrally-positioned stone cross. An unlisted modern extension is attached to the rear.

The interior of the portico and towers was modernised during the early 2000s. Offices occupy the ground and first floor of the west tower and the former organ gallery. A staircase has been inserted into the east tower. The former timber organ gallery was removed, renovated and replaced at greater height than its original position, now projecting into the new build.

St Augustine's of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church was built between 1838 and 1840 following a rebellion of Liberal Catholic laymen against the domination of a Jesuit mission. In 1879 the church was enlarged by the addition of a new sanctuary. Major alterations were undertaken in 1890 when the ceiling was raised, the gallery removed and the nave extended by approximately 6 metres. At the same time, the church's front was remodelled by the construction of two towers surmounted by cupolas added to the refashioned earlier Ionic portico. Collapse of part of the ceiling and panelling in 1984 led to the discovery of widespread dry rot, and the church was immediately closed. It remained closed until demolition of the entire church apart from the front portico and towers during the early 2000s, after which a new community centre was constructed on the site of the former church and adjoining land.