Church of St George (Roman Catholic)

SO8555SW 620-1/13/249

WORCESTER SANSOME PLACE (East side) Church of St George (Roman Catholic)

22/05/54

GV II* Church.1829 with later alterations including those to chancel of 1880 and west facade of 1887. Architect Henry Rowe with alterations probably by S.J Nicholl.

Ashlar facade to west, otherwise pinkish-red brick with red brick window arches and slate roof.

STYLE: west facade is in Italianate Baroque style.

PLAN: nave and chancel.

EXTERIOR: single tall storey, three bays. Central bay breaks forwards. Plinth. To centre bay the lower stage is rusticated, drawn into voussoirs over central entrance, two roll-edged steps to eight-panel double doors, fanlight with decorative ironwork grille, in stepped reveals. Mid-stage band surmounted by 'plinth' with bulbous balusters as apron to central window; 'plinth' surmounted to ends of outer bays by composite pilasters and to centre bay by paired, three-quarter engaged composite columns. Crowning entablature and central dentil pediment inscribed 'HIS'. Three round-arched windows with honeycombed glazing to centre and stained glass, in tooled architraves and with pediments on corbels, that to centre with keystone. North and south sides have five windows under flat arches of gauged brick and with coloured glass.

INTERIOR: gallery to west, north and south sides; curved staircases to either side at west end with sticks and carved tread ends to gallery on two Ionic columns. Stepped benches to gallery. Cornice has egg-and-dart and acanthus moulding; moulding to centre of ceiling and three ceiling roses with acanthus motifs. Screen to east end has two fluted columns to centre with honeysuckle frieze and wide opening between two smaller openings; coloured marble reredos.

HISTORICAL NOTE: This is a robust example characteristic of those which manifested the confidence of the Catholic community after the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, which caused constraints on public worship. Sir Edward Elgar was organist here during 1885-1858.

(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Worcestershire:1968-1985: 319).