Our Lady of Consolation & Saint Francis

Introduction

Hilaire Belloc is buried in the churchyard and the tower was completed in his memory.

History

Only the nave and aisles were built and the transepts, nuns' choir, tower and spire of the original design were not realised. The church was designed by John Crawley in the Early Decorated style. It has an intact interior with elaborate French reredos and stained glass, some French, others attributed on stylistic grounds to notable English stained glass firms.

Architecture and furnishings

The foundation stone was laid on 29 May 1875 and the church opened on 27 June 1876. The church is built in flint with ashlar dressings and a slate roof. The interior has a six-bay nave with arched arcade on octagonal stone columns and a stone rib vaulted roof. The sanctuary has an elaborate stone and plaster French reredos depicting scenes from the life of Our Lady.

The east window stained glass depicts Richard of Chichester, St George, St Bruno and St Dominic, attributed to Lavers, Barraud and Westlake. The north aisle contains a wall plaque to Jean Marie Denis, Parish Priest from 1863 until 1900. Above the columns are carved stone angels bearing the arms of benefactors, including the 15th Duke of Norfolk and his wife, and the 3rd Order Dominicans. The nave and aisles were built in 1876 by architect John Crawley in Early Decorated style.

In 1896 the aisles were raised and the sanctuary, transept chapels and a bell turret were added by F A Walters in matching style. The lower part of the tower may be early C20 but the upper part was completed in 1964 with a short spire by the firm of Riley and Glanfield in memory of Hilaire Belloc. The plan comprises a six bay nave with north and south aisles, a three bay sanctuary with transept chapels and a south west tower with squat spire. The west end has a large traceried window with trefoil lights above, and below an ogee-arched former doorcase converted into a window in the late C20.

The south west tower is of three stages, battered towards the base, with four pinnacles with pyramidal roofs, tall buttresses and a squat stone spire. The top bell stage has triple round-headed louvred openings and an arched opening with double plank doors with original ironmongery. The nave has a clerestory of trefoil-headed lancets divided by buttresses and the aisles have arched windows with trefoil-headed double lancets and mouchettes or quatrefoil lights above. The lower part of the north aisle is obscured by the link building to the Priest's House.

The sanctuary is lower with one arched window with double lancets and trefoil and quatrefoil lights above and a further window in the brick lean-to transepts. The east window is set high on the wall because of the high internal reredos, an arched window of trefoil-headed lights with intersecting tracery. There is a wooden gallery to the west and original pews. The original communion rails are not "in situ" but are extant. There is a pointed arched piscina and an aumbry.