Church of St Anne and Presbytery

The Church

St Anne's Church is a substantial Roman Catholic church built between 1875 and 1877 to designs by Edward Welby Pugin. It is constructed of rock-faced Storeton sandstone with ashlar dressings and a Tranmere red sandstone plinth. The roofs are covered in slate and asphalt with tile ridge crests, and cast-iron rainwater goods serve the building throughout. The design follows the Decorated Gothic style.

The church is aligned east-west with the chancel positioned at the west (ritual east) end. It has a cruciform plan with side aisles added later. The building features deep roofs crowned with cross finials of varying designs, double-width transepts, and a very tall chancel. Windows throughout have hoodmoulds with plain bosses, and the larger windows display geometrical tracery. Large rose windows of different designs appear in the transepts, chancel, and side chapels.

West End

The west end elevation is dominated by the nave's west gable, which has angled buttresses and a slightly projecting central bay containing the principal entrance. This entrance comprises a large, moulded-arched doorway with a carved tympanum set above heavy oak doors fitted with decorative strap hinges. The doorway has a carved hoodmould with floriated bosses, flanked by two small quatrefoils containing carved shield reliefs. Above the entrance runs a carved, stylised Latin inscription extending the full width of the projecting bay, enclosed by two narrow projecting ashlar bands. On either side of the inscription in the outer bays stand tall canopied niches containing statues: the Virgin Mary to the left and St John to the right. The west window consists of two tall windows, each incorporating two lancets with trefoil-arched heads and quatrefoils above. Rising between these windows and above them is a life-size statue of Christ the Redeemer mounted on a ten-foot-high decorated cross.

To the right of the west end stands a two-storey south-west porch with a pyramidal roof. This was originally intended to form a tower, but the tower was never built. The porch has a lower moulded-arched doorway with similar doors to the west entrance and a carved hoodmould with floriated bosses. Above the doorway is a tall decorative canopied niche containing a statue of the church's patroness, St Anne, with the infant Jesus Christ, flanked by two quatrefoils containing plain shield reliefs.

Nave and Side Aisles

The nave is lit by three large windows with trefoil tracery on each side. Attached in front of each side are low, flat-roofed side aisles added in 1934 without windows. The south side aisle abuts the south-west porch, which has full-height buttresses and is lit by small quatrefoil windows at ground floor level and tall cusped-headed windows on the upper floor. All the porch windows are set within square surrounds with relieving arches above. The north side aisle abuts a low, cross-gabled baptistery at the western end, which is lit by a tall window similar to those in the west window on the north side, and short paired trefoil-arched lancets on the west return.

Transepts

The north and south transepts are double-width and gabled, with traceried windows on the west side matching those in the nave. Large paired traceried windows light the gable ends, which also have rose windows in the apex. Abutting the upper part of each transept and cutting vertically across the rose windows are emergency concrete buttresses constructed in 1935 due to serious structural movement within the church.

Side Chapels and Chancel

Attached to the east side of the transepts, flanking the western half of the chancel, are lower single-width side chapels with rose windows set in the east gable ends and three trefoil-arched lancets on the side walls. The chancel rises above the nave and transepts with a large rose window set high in the east end and a row of six quatrefoils below. The two side elevations are lit by tall three-light traceried windows with blind arcading beneath.

Interior of the Church

Internally the church has plastered walls, floorboard flooring in the nave, tiled flooring in the narthex and former baptistery, and parquet floors in the side aisles. The original gas lamp fittings survive, though they are now electrified.

The south-west entrance porch has exposed Storeton stone walls and contains a marble and ashlar piscina on the east wall, flanked by a store cupboard and a door leading up to the organ gallery. Both doors have shouldered heads and large strap hinges. A stone winder stair leads up to the organ gallery, which spans the full width of the nave and has a pierced timber balustrade with rose motif decoration. The organ, installed in 1900, is by Messrs Abbott & Smith of Leeds and is contained within a pitch pine case designed by Peter Paul Pugin.

Another similarly styled piscina to that in the south-west porch is located in the narthex, which is fully glazed on the east side. The former baptistery at the northern end of the narthex is now used as a small shop but retains its original gates by Messrs Hardman, Powell & Co. These gates incorporate part of a line from Psalm 50 (Miserere mei Deus) in stylised gilded lettering: the left gate reads 'Amplius lava me', whilst the right reads 'ab iniquitate mea' – together reading 'Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness'. The former baptistery has a decorative tiled floor representing the Holy Ghost and Purity, designed by Edward Welby Pugin and executed by the Campbell Tile Company of Stoke on Trent and London. The font was removed around the 1970s and is now located in the south transept.

The nave has a boarded pitch-pine roof incorporating diaphragm arches carried on short ashlar colonnettes with floriated capitals and supported by carved angel corbels. On each side of the nave the windows are set within a Gothic arcade. The later side aisles (1934) are entered from the transepts and nave via inserted openings with square shouldered heads. Each side aisle is lit by rectangular rooflights and contains a series of confessionals set alongside the external wall. Both aisles also contain ornate marble shrines inserted in 1953: the north side aisle contains an altar dedicated to St Anne, whilst the south side is dedicated to St Teresa. Each marble altar is surmounted by a statue of the respective saint flanked by arched stone reliefs inset into the rear marble wall. The Stations of the Cross (1907) adorning the nave piers and transepts were designed by Peter Paul Pugin and executed by Aloys De Beule (1861-1935) of Ghent. The Stations were originally located on the nave's side walls until the addition of the side aisles in 1934.

The transepts and chancel both have Storeton stone arches. Those at the transept entrances are paired and each incorporates a dividing column of red Cork marble with a carved ashlar base and floriated capital. Each transept contains a corbelled painted concrete flying buttress added in 1935 at the same time as the external buttresses. The south transept also contains the font (1888), constructed of various marbles by J Currie of London. The font is octagonal with carved quatrefoil roundels on each face, supported by a clustered detached-colonnette base with oversized bases and capitals. Its wooden lid incorporates decorative metal strapwork. Double doors in the north wall of the north transept lead into the sacristy, which is lit by skylights and contains original safes.

The chancel arch incorporates tall canopied niches containing near life-size statues of the Sacred Heart and Our Blessed Lady to the left and right respectively. A second, taller and narrower arch behind flanks the High Altar and incorporates engaged columns with stiff-leaf capitals. The chancel has exposed Storeton stone walls and arches on each side leading into the side chapels. Canopied niches adjacent to the arches contain statues of St Thomas of Canterbury and St Patrick to the left and right respectively. On the north and south sides of the chancel are short sections of the altar rails (1932 – the remaining sections were removed during the 1980s re-ordering of the chancel), designed by Charles Henry Clement Purcell of Pugin & Pugin. They are of coloured marble with partly gilded mosaic inlay panels.

The ornate High Altar (1879-1880) was designed by Pugin & Pugin (possibly Cuthbert Pugin) and executed by Richard Lockwood Boulton of Cheltenham. It has a canopied reredos of Caen stone with marble and Mexican onyx dressings, including columns and gilded quatrefoils, and six sculptured panels depicting adoring angels. At the centre is a partly gilded tabernacle with stylised lettering on the front and side faces reading 'SANCTUS'. The original altar table (mensa) was removed following re-ordering in the 1980s. The High Altar's curtain cranes and metalwork on the tabernacle are all by Messrs John Hardman & Co of Birmingham. The east rose window (1878) above is by Messrs John Valentine Rowland & Co of Liverpool and contains stained glass depicting The Glorious Mysteries with a series of six stained-glass quatrefoils below. Flanking the High Altar and east window are canopied niches containing statues of St Joachim and St James to the left and right respectively.

The two side chapels contain Caen stone and marble altars and reredoses, and stained glass windows added in the mid to late 20th century (originally the windows contained plain leaded glazing). The north Lady Altar (1888) was designed by Pugin & Pugin and executed by Richard Lockwood Boulton of Cheltenham. It incorporates an ornate canopied reredos containing a near life-size statue of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus Christ flanked by sculptured panels. The antipendium (altar frontal) incorporates further sculptured panels with ogee-arched heads and pierced quatrefoil decoration, and the chapel has a highly decorative encaustic tiled floor. The south St Joseph's Altar (1896) was designed by Peter Paul Pugin and was also executed by Richard Lockwood Boulton of Cheltenham. The altar, overall less ornate than the Lady Altar, also has a richly carved antipendium and has a narrower canopied reredos incorporating spirelets and a near life-size statue of St Joseph set above a tabernacle and flanked by traceried panels with marble inlay.

The Presbytery

The attached presbytery was built in 1884-1885 by Peter Paul Pugin with a 1960 rear extension. It is constructed of red brick with ashlar and blue brick dressings and has a slate roof. The building is two storeys with a taller ground floor and follows the Gothic style. The plan is L-shaped. Like the church, the presbytery has cast-iron rainwater goods and relieving arches to some windows. Substantial chimneystacks rise from the roof and ridges, and most windows contain one-over-one sashes.

Front Elevation

The front elevation faces Highfield Road and consists of four bays with ashlar quoining up to first floor level and sill bands to both floors. A wide bay at the far left projects forward and incorporates a two-storey canted bay window with ashlar dressings and chamfered mullions. The central section of the bay window's roof is raised to form a pent roof and incorporates four small trefoil-arched lancets on the front face with leaded glazing. The elevation's two central bays have windows on each floor; those on the first floor have ashlar lintels and replaced uPVC glazing. The bay at the far right incorporates an integral lean-to entrance porch at ground floor level with a basket-arched doorway opening with an ashlar head and an adjacent single lancet window. The porch contains a tessarae floor with lettering at the centre reading 'OMI'. Above and behind the porch is a gabled first floor, lit by a rose window and surmounted by a cross finial; this is a first-floor chapel. All ground floor windows on the front elevation have a double brickwork band and relieving arches above in blue brick. These are replicated on the side elevations of the original part of the presbytery.

Left (South) Side Elevation

This elevation consists of seven bays, with three wider bays to the right representing the original extent of the presbytery, and the four bays to the left being a later extension added in 1960. The rear extension is of common brick and has a single sash window on each floor of the three left bays, and a triple sash window at ground floor of bay four. The window on the first floor above has replaced uPVC glazing. Bay five is wide and gabled, projecting forward with a large four-light window at ground floor with chamfered mullions and sashes, and a smaller triple-light window in the same style on the first floor above. The two bays at the far right have single sash windows on each floor. These three original bays have windows with ashlar sills and lintels and banding detailing in blue brick, which is replicated on the north side elevation.

Right (North) Side Elevation

This elevation has two windows on each floor; those on the first floor light the chapel and contain Art Nouveau-style leaded glazing. Attached to the rear right of the elevation is part of the flat-roofed sacristy, which abuts the north side aisle and is constructed of the same materials as the rest of the church.

Rear Elevation

The presbytery's two-bay rear elevation is of painted brick and faces into a small yard area. The left bay is set back from the main wall face with sash windows at ground floor and half-landing level, and a quatrefoil window on the first floor lighting the chapel. The right bay is much wider and has three-light windows on each floor with chamfered mullions and replaced glazing. Enclosing the yard to the south side is the north elevation of the rear extension, which has sash and casement windows, a small single-storey lean-to attached to the western end, and a doorway with a modern uPVC door. To the north and west sides of the yard are single-storey outbuildings and the sacristy.

Interior of the Presbytery

Internally the presbytery has encaustic tiled floors in the principal ground floor circulation spaces and parquet floors in the rest of the building (some hidden under later coverings), panelled pitch-pine doors with segmental-arched architraves, plain moulded cornicing, and some ceiling roses and panelled dados. Some original fireplaces survive on both floors with marble and timber surrounds, the latter located in the rear service rooms. The presbytery has a large central stair hall top-lit by a small square roof lantern, with rooms arranged off to each side. The hall contains a polished pitch-pine open-well stair with a pierced geometric balustrade and a half-landing level. The rear extension contains a tall narrow corridor at ground floor with small rooms (originally for domestic staff) off to each side. The first floor landing is galleried to the south side. Off the north-east corner of the first floor is a small chapel with a ribbed roof and a rose window flanked below by two Gothic-arched statue niches. A shelf alongside the north wall also forms the sills of the two windows on this side. Some of the presbytery's first-floor rooms have original built-in cupboards and Gothic-arched alcoves, and a room in the south-east corner has been partitioned. The first floor of the rear extension contains bedrooms and bathrooms.

Boundary Walls and Gates

The church is enclosed at the front by a low rock-faced sandstone wall incorporating intermediary stepped piers linked by painted metal railings. In line with the church's west entrance are two square gate piers with chamfered corners and shaped octagonal caps flanking low painted metal gates. Both piers incorporate recessed panels on the front face with stylised relief lettering reading 'ST ANNE'S / CHURCH'. Attached to the left end of the wall is a similarly styled, later painted metal gate providing access to the presbytery's driveway and entrance. Enclosing the presbytery to the front is a mellow red brick wall incorporating blind recessed panels and ashlar dressings.