Roman Catholic Church Of St Francis With Attached Presbytery And School

SD 53 NE GOOSNARGH HORNS LANE

5/61 Roman Catholic Church of St. Francis, with attached presbytery and school 11.11.1966 II

Roman Catholic church, dated 1835 on south gable, with attached presbytery formerly a farmhouse of late C17, altered, and school building probably of late C18. Church of squared sandstone with quoins, the side walls rendered and painted white, presbytery probably also sandstone, stuccoed and painted pink, school of thin coursed sandstone rubble also painted pink; slate roofs. Long range on north-south axis, the church at the south end and the school at the north end of the presbytery. Church is rectangular, 4 bays, single vessel, in simple classical style: entrance in south gable wall, which is symmetrical, has a round-headed doorway with double doors, fanlight with radiating glazing bars, simple moulded surround and cornice; two round-headed windows at 1st floor, a panel above and between these lettered GLORY BE TO GOD ON HIGH: and a moulded gable coping with kneelers, A.D. MDCCCXXXV the apex bearing a square bellcote surmounted by a cross. Each side wall has 4 large round headed windows, and the west side has tie-plates arranged decoratively in vertical rows between these (but no internal tie-rods). Interior: decorated in classical style, with sanctuary at north and distinguished by fluted Corinthian pilasters, plain frieze, and cornice with egg-and-dart and modillion decoration; panelled gallery at south end. Presbytery is 3-bay baffle-entry plan, 2 storeys, facing east; has glazed porch in line with ridge chimney at junction of 2nd and 3rd bays, 3 sashed windows without glazing bars on each floor; rear has attached stair turret with parallel ridged roof but is otherwise of less interest; interior has back-to-back inglenook fireplaces with chamfered bressummers, containing C18 stone fireplaces with corbelled jambs, that in the middle bay moulded with a cornice; ceiling beams which may be replacements; shallow rear addition. School continued to north, 5 bays, the 2 at the southern end of 2 storeys, with 2-light flush mullion windows, the rest full height single storey with vertical rectangular windows and various alterations. Also known as Hill Chapel.

Listing NGR: SD5715438528