Church Of The Sacred Heart

The Church of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic church built in 1886, designed by the prominent architectural firm Goldie, Child & Goldie. It features coursed rubble construction and a Welsh slate roof. The church has a plan that includes a nave with seven bays, a chancel with two bays, and north and south aisles. There is a west narthex and a southwest transept, which is likely the baptistery, along with a polygonal apsidal east end that serves as the sanctuary.

The western end of the church is elevated above steps and is flanked by retaining walls, with gatepiers that have gabled finials, traceried panels, and iron railings, all of which are included in the listing. The west front showcases a seven-light window and features a polygonal turret to the southwest with open traceried belfry openings and a spire. The four-bay narthex has two two-light windows and side doors, while the north aisle has a three-light window. The two-bay west elevation of the southwest transept is an integral part of the west end's design, featuring two plate-tracery windows with a parapet. The clerestory windows are three-light with alternating Decorated tracery patterns, and the south aisle has three-light windows, while the north side originally had no windows due to adjacent demolished buildings. The sanctuary has two-light windows set high above plain walling, with tall gabled buttresses at the corners.

Inside, the nave and chancel arcades are supported by octagonal piers and have deeply moulded arches of equilateral section. The roof principals are supported by tall wall shafts and stone corbels. The sanctuary furnishings, designed by Pugin & Pugin in 1891, include a significant marble or polished alabaster panelled reredos with two tiers. The lower tier has blank traceried square-headed bays, while the upper tier features Biblical scenes, with principal divisions containing niches for statues by Boulton of Cheltenham, all enhanced by elaborate canopies and plinths of clustered shafts. The reredos is adorned with richly carved pinnacles and brattishing. The altar is contemporary, featuring carved fronted panels and a gabled rere-altar with attendant angels. The church also includes a full set of stained glass and a painted boarded ceiling.