Church Of Our Lady Of The Assumption

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic church built between 1913 and 1916, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. It is constructed of reinforced concrete faced with brown Crowborough brick and features flat roofs. The church has a rectangular plan, with a west tower and entrance. It showcases a Gothic vertical emphasis similar to that used by Scott in Liverpool Cathedral, but this is the first time it has been applied in monumental brick and reinforced concrete. The building has a channelled base, low aisles, and bands of clerestory windows, which contrast with the tall gabled west chapels and east transepts.

The interior remains largely unaltered, featuring three-bay brick and concrete arcades with continuous mouldings that lack capitals. There is a high square sanctuary arch with a hanging rood, a high reredos designed by Scott from 1953-1954, and a high altar. A modern freestanding altar at the foot of the sanctuary steps allows the original arrangement to be preserved behind it. The church contains choir stalls and pews, with a pulpit to the side, while chairs are used in the aisle chapels. The altar and reredos in the Lady Chapel, also designed by Scott, date from 1923-1924. The tower arch has a similar square frame and includes an organ loft and alternative space for the choir. The ceiling features hanging pendant lights.

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is significant as it represents the first of Scott's brick churches to achieve a truly monumental quality. This work anticipates his later exploration of the medium in secular projects, such as Bankside Power Station, now Tate Modern. The use of concrete in the church was experimental, while the interior design is imaginative and cohesive in its simplicity.