Roman Catholic Church Of St Mary

The Roman Catholic Church of St Mary, built between 1962 and 1964, was designed by Weightman and Bullen, with J. Faczynski as the partner in charge. Stained glass is by Patrick Reyntiens. The church is constructed of pink brick, reinforced concrete, and features copper-covered roofs, with a zig-zag design over the main space and a flat design over the aisle. It has a circular, aisled plan with a projecting entrance and five projecting chapels.

The entrance is within a large, projecting porch where the roof slab cantilevers over the doors, curving upwards on the underside. A large, polychrome ceramic mural by Adam Kossowski, representing the Last Judgement, is positioned above the two double-doored entrances. The main body of the church is a brick rotunda, with projected, organically rounded-cornered concrete chapels to the left and right, while those behind are square-sided. The main space is covered by a folded radial roof, leaning outwards to shelter triangular clerestory windows. A circular, glazed light is at the centre of the roof, with its sides leaning outwards to a sculpted finial of copper or bronze.

Internally, the sanctuary is floored in white marble and raised by a step, with a further three steps leading to the white marble altar. Curved timber benches are set on a slightly raked floor. 'Y' shaped concrete aisle posts, incorporating sculpted Stations of the Cross by Arthur Dooley, support the exposed, board-marked concrete folded roof. Thirty-six panels of abstract dalle-de-verre stained glass, totalling 233 feet in length and mostly in blues and greens, decorate the aisle walls; these are by Patrick Reyntiens and depict the first day of creation. A ring-shaped light fixture and Adam Kossowski's ceramic of Christ the King are suspended above the altar, with further original light fittings above the congregation. The font, housed in the narthex within a shallow, marble-lined depression in the floor, is a concrete cylinder with an inscribed bronze lid. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel, featuring a rising roof slab, contains a green marble altar with built-in raking supports, and a tapestry representing the Trinity, designed by J. Faczynski, is positioned behind it.

This church is an uncommon example of a circular design with a central altar, distinguished by its integral artworks. A freestanding tower to the north-west is an integral part of the overall design.