Catholic Church Of St Francis Of Assisi

TL 1439 SHEFFORD HIGH STREET 8/111 (south side)

• Catholic Church of St Francis of Assisi

GV II*

Roman Catholic church. Designed by S J Nicholl of Kentish Town, erected at expense of Mrs Lyne-Stephens of Lynsford Hall, Thetford, Norfolk. Opened 1884. Red brick with ashlar dressings. Clay tile roofs. Church is oriented N-S, with alter to S end. Rectangular plan overall, consisting of nave and chancel, the latter with narrow aisles formed by 2-bay arcades within structure. In C14 style. Nave: N (road) gable has large pointed-arched 4- light window with cusped flowing and panel tracery. 3-light ogee window to apex. Stone coping to gable, with crucifix finial. To LH side is slightly projecting 3-stage bell-cote. To ground floor is pointed arched doorway, recessed within higher pointed archway with traceried spandrels. Central stage has canopied niche with figure of St Francis, flanked by single lights. Gabled top stage almost entirely in ashlar, has ogee headed niche with statue of Virgin and Child. Nave also has windows to W and E in similar style. Chancel: has windows to W and E, similar in style but with 4-centred arched heads. The pointed-arched arcades have rather slender columns. Interior: reredos, approx. 9 metres high, is in ornate High Gothic style, of carved stone including alabaster and marble, and has figures of saints within crocketed canopied niches. Arcades have foliate capitals. Nave has half- height cedarwood panelling with carved and painted Stations of the Cross inset at intervals. Carved stone pulpit to SE corner of nave in High Gothic style. High Gothic carved stone Lady Altar to SW corner of nave, the Virgin and Child partly gilded. Stained glass to Lady Altar window, and to windows in nave W and E. NE of nave is octagonal font with crocketed wood spire cover. Angular wagon roofs to nave and chancel, timberwork to nave plain and open, that to chancel infilled, with painted and gilded angels and bosses. Gallery to N end of nave.

Kelly's Directory of Beds, Hunts and Northants, 1885, pp 107-8).

Listing NGR: TL1426039011