Church Of St Thomas Of Canterbury And Presbytery

TERMINUS ROAD 1. 5270 West Cowes Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and Presbytery SZ 4996 SE 1/103 II 2. Roman Catholic. Built in 1796-7 by Mrs Elizabeth Heneage who was also responsible for building the Roman Catholic Church at Newport. Architect the Rev Thomas Gabb. Builder Thomas Young of Portsea. Built of yellow brick. Five bays with a buttress between each. Cornice and parapet. The north easternmost bay is blank but has a porch with Ionic columns and pediment. Doorcase with pilasters, segmental fanlight and 6-panelled double doors. Bellcote above. The other bays contain round-headed windows of 2 lights with stone mullions and transoms. The south-westernmost bay forms the Presbytery, which is under the same roof span as the church. This is of 3 storeys and has one window facing the street. Round-headed windows and doorcase with semi-circular fanlight. The interior contains a wooden organ gallery supported on Tuscan columns and altar wall having triglyph and paterae cornice on giant Doric pilasters and a round-headed arch in the centre flanked by putti. This is a very early date for a Roman Catholic Church. In the early C19 it is said to have been served by 2 chaplains of Napoleon's Foreign Legion.

Listing NGR: SZ4951796109