Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bournemouth Oratory

Introduction

In summer 1873 the nave of the new permanent building designed by Henry Clutton opened under Fr Dignam.

History

Aisles and the present tower were added and the church was solemnly opened on 5 February 1875, with a blessing by Dr James Dannell, Bishop of Southwark.

Architecture and furnishings

Henry Clutton built the church in 1872-4, and A J Pilkington enlarged and externally remodelled it in 1896-8. The interior preserves most of Clutton's work, including 3-bay arcades with Early French double-columns and shaft-rings. The east end, including the chancel and marble-panelled east wall, is all by Pilkington. The reredos is by P P Pugin, with 3 spirelets over statues and 8 smaller niches.

The tower by Clutton is of buff brick and stone with a pyramid spire of banded slate. The crossing arches are similar, but with clustered columns on foliage corbels. The north aisle has transverse half-arches as buttresses, and the south aisle has gables at right-angles. The nave roof is boarded, with big kingposts.

The remainder of the exterior is by Pilkington, in rock-faced Portland stone, except for Clutton's aisle gables with Perpendicular tracery. The chancel has a windowless gable with canopied niches, on a high basement.

The building was of yellow/white bricks with Bath stone dressings at the doors and windows. The altar rail is of strange Renaissance design, possibly by Clutton, with openwork brass foliage and white marble portrait medallions of Jesuit saints in a shallow bow. The north chapel has a tierceron vault and a Spanish Gothic altar of the Assumption.

The bell was fitted for change ringing but hung alone for over a century. The church has a ring of 6 bells, which are very light at 3.5 cwt.

The current organ is not the original, is poor quality, damaged, has missing parts and is beyond economic repair. The church has been gifted an extremely rare unaltered 1936 3 manual Compton organ with illuminated touch button console, from Aberdeen.

Regular events

The church maintains a tradition of Solemn Vespers on Sundays and feast days. The church hosts a University Catholic Chaplaincy and Centre for Students.

Visiting

A virtual tour of the church is available. A Catholic Church Shop is located in the Undercroft, accessed from the corner of Post Office Road and Richmond Hill. The Oratory Undercroft is a venue used for events and gatherings.