Roman Catholic Church Of St Austin

STAFFORD

SJ9222NW WOLVERHAMPTON ROAD 590-1/11/102 (North West side) 17/12/71 Roman Catholic Church of St Austin

GV II

Catholic church. 1862. By Edward Welby Pugin. Brick with blue brick diapering and ashlar dressings; tile roof. PLAN: 5-bay nave and lean-to aisles with east chapels flanking short chancel; north-west turret; south-east sacristy. EXTERIOR: canted E end has gabled 2-light windows; chapels have 2-light windows to east and return; aisles have 3-light windows; clerestory has spherical triangle windows; Geometrical tracery. West facade has ashlar banding and some brick diaper and crosses, pointed entrance to centre left end, each with moulded arch and paired plank doors with strap hinges; 5-light W window with small vesica window above; turret to left is flush with facade and shows signs of re-construction, plain parapet, pointed louvred bell openings and short needle spire with metal cladding; coped gable with iron cross. INTERIOR: arch-braced roofs, part ceiled, part painted; chancel has richly coloured tiles below sill level and narrow 2-bay arcades to chapels; nave has 4-bay arcades with marble piers, simple capitals and moulded arches, west gallery with organ and arcaded balcony front. FITTINGS: High Altar has roundels between marble shafts, rich pulpit has ogee panels with relief scenes between canopied figures, similar desk has tracery panels and deep cornice; side altars have relief panels and figures of the Virgin and Child and the Sacred Heart; font has quatrefoils to sides with instruments of the Passion, C20 glazed screen beneath gallery. STAINED GLASS: C19 and C20 glass to N; E windows by Hardman; W window has C16 Flemish glass, presumably that which was installed in church of 1818, now demolished, by Lord Stafford. (Staffordshire Catholic History: Catholic Chapels in Staffordshire: 1974-: 429; Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Nairn J: Staffordshire: London: 1974-: 249).

Listing NGR: SJ9229822540