Roman Catholic Church Of Our Lady Of The Rosary And Attached Presbytery

The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and its attached presbytery were built between 1959 and 1962, designed by H.S. Goodhart-Rendel, and completed after his death by D.A. Rud and H. Lewis Curtis. The church is constructed of brown brick with red and brown diapering on the tower, and has low-pitched slate roofs. The traditional layout includes a sanctuary with the original altar against the east wall, dwarf transepts, and passage aisles leading to the nave. The presbytery, attached to the south-west, was designed by Reid in a neo-Georgian style.

The west-facing facade is dominated by a three-stage rectangular tower with a low saddle roof parallel to the road, flanked by blind walls and two-storey buttresses. The entrance is square-headed with a segmental glazed arch extending across three arches. Above the entrance is a single round-headed window within a decorated rectangular surround. The bell stage features six segmental-headed louvres separated by buttresses. The presbytery is three stories high with nine bays, the central bay featuring a tall window likely illuminating a staircase. The windows are generally segmental-headed timber sash windows with vertical glazing bars, with some square-headed examples.

Inside, the church has concrete plastered and painted walls. A new altar is set within the raised sanctuary, positioned forward, while the original remains against the back wall. The sanctuary has a pointed barrel roof and narrow pointed lancet windows—six to the east end and five along the flanks. The lower walls are lined with green and blue tiles with a white pattern, while the upper walls are stenciled in pastel green. Bold, pointed transverse arches span the nave, culminating in triple segmental-headed arches at the clerestory level. Segmental-headed clerestory windows are also present. The feet of the transverse arches have segmental-headed openings framing the passage aisles. The clerestory is supported by transverse pointed barrel vaults at a high level. There's a gallery on the south side. A simple, octagonal stone pulpit is attached to the north-west pier of the transept, and a black marble altar rail is in place. A blue, white, and gold decorative tester hangs above the altar. The interior also features simple timber benches, decorative pendant lights hanging from the transverse arches, and a six-pointed metal chandelier in the crossing.

The church is considered a grand example of Goodhart-Rendel’s manipulation of space and planes and is recognised as his last and one of his best works.