Our Lady and St Michael Church

Introduction

Our Lady and St Michael Church in Shipston-on-Stour is a Grade II listed building designed in the style of Augustus Welby Pugin's early small churches, especially St Mary's, Uttoxeter.

History

The church was built in 1847 as the Anglican chapel of Shipston House, the Workhouse and Infirmary. The porch was added in 1858 to commemorate the marriage of Victoria, the Princess Royal, to Frederick, the German Crown Prince. The building was rented for a few years and finally bought for use as a Catholic Church in 1978. The church was extensively renovated and restored in 1979-80 and a Parish Room added.

The church was redecorated in 2011 and the inscriptions above the chancel arch, the aumbry and the west door were painted by Peter Drinkwater of Shipston. Carved heads flank the entrance door, and carved corbels supporting the nave roof include a 'Green Man' near the sacristy door.

Architecture and furnishings

The Annunciation windows were commissioned by Viscount Campden for the chapel at Campden House and were transferred to Shipston in 2013. The altar came from the former convent of the Sisters of Charity of St Paul at Newbold Revel near Rugby. The carved stone reredos and the angel holy water stoup in the porch came from Campden House and were designed in 1853 by Charles Hansom. The statues of Our Lady Immaculate and the Sacred Heart, by Mayer of Munich, on the west wall came from the chapel at Foxcote.

The votive statue of Our Lady is of Spanish workmanship. The statue of St Michael was brought from Lourdes. There is a carved oak memorial plaque to Philip Canning Howard and his wife Clare, made by Thompson of Kilburn, in the organ gallery at Shipston.

Parish life

The prayer group gathers on Thursday morning after Mass at Shipston for Adoration, the Divine Mercy chaplet, and the Rosary. The parish priest offers instruction to anyone wishing to learn more about the Catholic faith. A small portion of tessellated pavement from the house of St John and St Paul in Rome is displayed on the wall.