Church Of The Holy Ghost

The following building shall be added:-

BASINGSTOKE SU65SW SHERBORNE ROAD (East side) 2/10003 Church of the Holy Ghost

• II

Roman Catholic church. 1902. By and for Canon A.J.C. Scoles. Dressed flint with ashlar dressings; some red brick in stretcher bond; Roman tile roof. 5 bay nave, the eastern bay having northern transept, comprising Lady Chapel, and southern entrance by Presbytery. Asidal, sanctuary (9 windows). Octagonal bell tower on south side, in angle with Presbytery. In High Victorian Gothic style following the Early English style and having offset butresses; 2-light plate-traceried windows with hoodmoulds, single-light windows to apse, and west window of 3 stepped lights with attached columns. West end: entrance has architrave of 3 orders and tympanum with low-relief carving; 3 blind recesses pierced with quatrefoils; gable cross. Lady Chapel: gabled, with statue of Madonna amd child in niche over window, gable cross, and pentafoil west and east windows. Bell tower: chamfered plinth; quoined angles; moulded bands; stair lit by single-light windows; louvred lights to bell stage; corbelled eaves band; slate spire with slender cross. INTERIOR: richly painted and decorated by N.H.J. Westlake, (stations of cross c1930), the paintings restored 1991-92. In the Sanctuary and Lady Chapel polished marble columns support decorative archivolts. Polished stone altars and reredoses and, at east end, tabernacle for cross. Vaulted roof to Sanctuary. Compartmental roof to nave with foliate capitals carrying vaults. Decoratively-carved stone font and pulpit (1928). Decorative brass lanterns. In one of the souther nave windows is inset a piece of early-mid C16 glass, originally from the chapel at Vyne House, Basingstoke. West gallery inserted c1965; pews replaced mid-late 20.

Canon Scoles also designed and built churches at Bridgewater and Yeovil (in his previous diocese of Clifton), and a western extension for Portsmouth Roman Catholic Cathedral (q.v.). This church in Basingstoke is the last and best of his work. On his death in 1920 he was buried next to the Sanctuary. The tombstone commemorates Canon A.J.C. Scoles, d1920, architect and patron of the church; stepped ridged gravestone with roll mouldings, moulded gablets and surmounted by crucifixion; it is situated in the angle of the Lady Chapel and Sanctuary.

Listing NGR: SU6223851421