Holy Family R.C Church

Holy Family Roman Catholic Church

A Roman Catholic church completed in 1964 and designed by Derek Walker, built in ivory-coloured bricks with exposed concrete. The building was commissioned by Fr John Hudson in 1961 to serve the newly developed Chequerfield estate in Pontefract, at a cost of £43,000 for the building and £400 for furnishings and works of art. Derek Walker went on to become Chief Architect and Planner of Milton Keynes (1970–74), Head of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, and designer of the Royal Armouries at Leeds.

The church's design reflects the emerging principles of "functional Catholic architecture" and was the first in the diocese to anticipate the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council. The building has no externally defined nave or chancel. Instead, a central area is flanked by a lower section to the front and left side, and a taller block on the right side to the rear with lower sections extending further out to the right. The taller block has a pent roof; the remainder has flat roofs.

The south-facing front features large double doors offset to the left within the lower block. The doors and flanking panels are of stained orinoko wood and glass in a rectilinear pattern, with large rectangular bronze handles containing a shattered cross image designed by Ray Arnatt. A continuous line of narrow windows extends to the left around the side of the block, topped with a concrete lintel. The main body rises behind the entrance block and extends to the right, broken by a double pillar with a full-height narrow window between, rising above the roof height of the rest of the structure. Beyond to the right is a low section, with a recessed area adjacent to the main building containing a ceramic sculpture of the Holy Family by Robert Brumby in the facing wall. The right side above the low block has four tall narrow windows divided by brick pillars and topped with concrete lintels. The low block contains a door towards the left end and a window towards the right. The tall block is largely blank apart from a narrow window at the right-hand end. On the left side, the projecting entrance block continues with a second entrance in similar style and a continuation of the windows and concrete lintel. A brick wall extends from the side approximately halfway along, separating the rear section. Above are six windows separated by brick pillars in the same style as those on the right side, with a further window towards the rear. The former central lantern tower has been replaced by an elliptical plastic rooflight.

The interior is accessed through the main doors into a narthex with glazed double doors opening into the main body of the church. The nave is rectangular with pre-cast concrete floors and exposed brick walls painted white. The sanctuary occupies the rear part and is defined by low steps on all four sides. The rear wall contains a large ceramic sculpture of Christ in Majesty by Robert Brumby, comprising over 3,400 individually crafted mosaic pieces. At its feet is the tabernacle on a shelf. The altar is in Portland stone with a pierced terrazzo block containing a ceramic sculpture of the Last Supper. The altar is lit from above by the plastic dome and a suspended baldachino with original lights. Along the rear wall is a low wooden shelf with an integral chair to the right of the altar. The altar rail is in afromosia wood, as are the original pews and other furniture. The nave is lit by clerestory windows to either side and original light fittings above. A decorative cast concrete frieze around the walls has been painted pale pink. To the right of the entrance are two small recessed granite altars within the brick pillars, with a full-height stained glass window between depicting the Creation, designed by Roy Lewis. The right-hand wall of the nave contains two confessionals with doors matching the main entrance, and two ground-floor windows alongside. To the rear is a transept containing pews facing the sanctuary and a door in the same style as others, leading to service rooms and stairs. Above is a stepped gallery fronted by a glass and wood screen and lit by clerestory windows to the front. Wooden cross-shaped pillars to either side of the sanctuary area contain concealed speakers. On the left side of the main hall is a shallow single-storey transept facing the gallery, with the remainder of the side wall divided by openings between the brick pillars. One of these opens into the Lady Chapel, which contains a granite altar table backed by a glass mosaic reredos designed by Roy Lewis. The outer wall is floor-to-ceiling glass, with views onto a small enclosed garden area. Further openings towards the entrance lead into a meeting room, formerly the baptistery and repository, which contains an original light fitting from the baptistery. The font, to the right of the entrance, is a terrazzo block with a cross-shaped recess containing a bronze designed by Ray Arnatt. The sacristies and vestry areas to the right retain some original fitted cupboards.

The parish was established in 1957, with mass originally offered in a presbytery alongside the current church. The earlier presbytery, originally linked to the church by service areas, was demolished around 1993 due to subsidence problems. The former baptistery, originally with a sunken floor, and repository were subsequently altered to form a meeting room, with the font relocated to the main hall. The central lantern tower was removed some years later owing to damage from vandals and leakage problems. The lower parts of the full-height windows to the rear were also blocked to prevent damage. A fire during replacement of the heating system blackened the walls of the hall; they have since been painted.

The church stands in its own grounds, set back from the road with a curved approach drive leading to parking spaces to the right, in the heart of the contemporary estate.