The Church Of St Alban

The Church of St Alban

Church built between 1902 and 1913, with the west end completed in 1931. The original building was designed by Charles Hodgson Fowler of Durham, and the front extension of 1930-31 was designed by Wood & Oakley of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. A priest's vestry was added in the 1970s.

The exterior is constructed of limestone ashlar with stone dressings, except for the extension which is of brick. The roof is plain tile with stone-coped gables and finials, and the tall spirelet has a slate roof. The building is designed in Perpendicular style with a plan comprising a chancel with north transept and south Lady chapel, and a nave with aisles.

The chancel features a five-light east window and high side windows to the south overlooking the Lady chapel, which has a three-light east window and three two-light south windows. The north transept has a rose window above smaller lower windows. An octagonal spirelet sits on the western corner, with a top stage containing cusped narrow louvre openings and a spire with finial. The five-bay nave has aisles with small windows and stepped buttresses, those to the north rising from a prominent roadside plinth. Tall three-light clerestory windows rise above. The west end has stepped angle buttresses and a fine traceried five-light window above a moulded west doorway, approached by a wide flight of steps with metal railings.

Inside, the chancel contains stained glass in the east window dating from 1905 by C. Kempe, depicting Christ in Majesty and saints. Below is an elaborate reredos of 1908, designed by Fowler and made by Bowman of Stamford. The reredos is of oak with figures of the Crucifixion and saints carved in pine by Bridgeman of Lichfield. The chancel has a wagon roof, a low stone screen and steps. Fine furnishings include clergy desks with poppyhead finials and carved animal armrests, and three rows of choir stalls. A hexagonal stone font with open tracery panels and coved foot is integral to the south-east arcade arch. A brass eagle lectern is also present. The Lady chapel has a window installed in 1976. The nave has an impressive arch-braced roof with finely moulded collars. The arcades feature quatrefoil piers with moulded capitals from which rise tall double-chamfered arches. An octagonal stone font with bowl supported on a clustered stem and an oak strapwork cover is also present.

The church is a fine example by an architect well known throughout the North of England, the Midlands and elsewhere. It uses the site effectively with a robust aisle wall fronting directly onto the adjacent lane, presenting an effective outline to the north front with a tall transept and elegant spirelet. The south side is treated differently with the Lady chapel and chancel windows, creating an effective internal arrangement. The nave is tall and impressive with large clerestory windows above moulded arcades. The interior is entirely of stone with fine roofs. Although the west front of 1931 is simpler than originally intended, it is effective with a large window above the long flight of steps, flanked by prominent buttresses. The church forms part of a significant group of historic buildings adjacent and opposite.