The Presbytery And Roman Catholic Church Of Saint Joseph

The Presbytery and Roman Catholic Church of Saint Joseph is a presbytery and church located in Bishop Thornton. The presbytery was built in 1790, and the church followed in 1809, commissioned by Richard Talbot and Charles Saul on land donated by Stephen Ingilby of Raventofts. The building was restored in the 20th century and is constructed from coursed squared gritstone with a concrete tile roof.

The presbytery has two storeys with attics and features three bays. The central entrance has a glazed door with a 20th-century porch, flanked by four-light windows with flat-faced mullions, some of which have been renewed in the 20th century. The first floor has three- and four-light windows of a similar style. There are end stacks, and the left side has a two-light mullioned window that lights the tall attic storey.

Inside, the original chapel was located in the attic of the presbytery and is reported to have a reused collar-beam roof, though it was not inspected during the resurvey. The church, which is attached to the right of the presbytery, consists of four bays, each featuring a plain round-headed window. A stone cross is positioned at the right gable end, and there is an entrance porch at the east end with a board door. Inside the church, original six-panel double doors with strap hinges connect the porch to the main body of the church, and a narrow six-panel door links the chapel to the presbytery. There are no other original fittings remaining. The strong local Roman Catholic tradition is reflected in the mid-20th century stained glass windows.

The site for the presbytery was given by Stephen Ingilby, who resided at Raventofts Hall. Raventofts had historically been an important refuge for Catholics, and the priest serving the medieval church of Saint John, of which only the tower remains, lived at the house. Ingilby was a conformist and likely aimed to sever the recusant ties associated with Raventofts.