Church of St George (Roman Catholic)

The Church of St George, a Roman Catholic church, was built in 1829 and subsequently altered in 1880 and 1887. The original architect was Henry Rowe, with later alterations likely by S.J. Nicholl. The west facade is constructed of ashlar, while the remainder of the building is of pinkish-red brick with red brick window arches, and has a slate roof.

The west facade is in an Italianate Baroque style. The church has a simple plan consisting of a nave and chancel.

The exterior is a single tall storey, with three bays, the central bay projecting forward. It features a plinth, and the lower stage of the central bay is rusticated, drawn into voussoirs above the central entrance. There are two roll-edged steps leading to an eight-panel double door, above which is a fanlight with a decorative ironwork grille, all within stepped reveals. A mid-stage band is surmounted by a ‘plinth’ with bulbous balusters as an apron to the central window, and further ‘plinths’ to the ends of the outer bays supporting composite pilasters, and to the central bay supporting paired, three-quarter engaged composite columns. A crowning entablature and a central dentil pediment are inscribed with the letter 'H'. Three round-arched windows with honeycombed glazing, and stained glass, are set within tooled architraves, each topped with a pediment on corbels, the central window having a keystone. The north and south sides have five windows with flat arches of gauged brick and coloured glass.

The interior includes a gallery on the west, north and south sides, with curved staircases at the west end featuring sticks and carved tread ends supported by two Ionic columns. Stepped benches line the gallery. The cornice incorporates egg-and-dart and acanthus moulding, and the ceiling features a central moulding and three ceiling roses with acanthus motifs. A screen at the east end has two fluted columns with a honeysuckle frieze, and a wide opening between two smaller openings, leading to a coloured marble reredos.

The church represents a robust example of architecture demonstrating the confidence of the Catholic community following the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829. Sir Edward Elgar served as the church’s organist from 1885 to 1858.