Church Of St Mary And St Michael

The Church of St Mary and St Michael is a Roman Catholic church built between 1852 and 1856 by architect William Wardell. It is constructed of Kentish rag stone with Bath stone dressings and has a Welsh slate roof. The church features an eleven-bay nave, a chancel, side aisles, and a side chapel, although the planned tower with a spire was never completed. Designed in the Gothic Revival, Decorated style, the church has a five-light traceried window at the liturgical west end above an arched door, flanked by buttresses topped with statues of St Mary and St Michael, and a niche filled with a statue above. The gable apexes are adorned with cross finials. The ends of the side aisles have three-light Decorated tracery windows, and there is a large traceried window in the chancel.

While the interior has not been inspected, it is noted to contain several interesting fittings. These include the original altar and reredos from 1856 by Boulton & Swales located in the side chapel, stained glass by Hardman & Co. from the same year, a high altar and reredos from 1911 by R.C. Curtis, alabaster communion rails, and a statue of St Patrick by Theodore Phyffers, circa 1856. Historically, this church was the largest Roman Catholic church in the capital when it was first built. Wardell, its architect, was a pupil of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, and the church reflects the teachings of his mentor. The chancel was altered in 1898 by F.A. Walter, and the church underwent reordering in 1992 by Gerald Goalen.