Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Devizes

Introduction

Charles Hansom designed the church, which was built in 1865. The church is built of stone rubble and has a nave and chancel but no tower.

Architecture and furnishings

A J Scoles and Raymond added the chancel in 1909. The church features a polygonal apse. A fine altarpiece with a fretted canopy over the tabernacle is a notable feature. The church has buttresses between pointed windows with two cusped lights and decorated rolled hood moulds over them.

The church has a pointed doorway to the side and a crocketed niche above with a statue of Our Lady and Child. The interior is plain in the C13 style. A Folk Mass is held once a month at the Immaculate Conception on the 2nd Sunday.

Parish life

The parish supports the Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage Trust, taking disabled children to Lourdes annually. The parish is a strong supporter of the Foodbank initiative.

The parish has a team of gardeners who upkeep the lawns and cemetery. The parish has an active group of flower arrangers at the Immaculate Conception who ensure the flowers in the church are replaced regularly. The parish takes part in an ecumenical group with seven other churches. The parish has a Finance Committee that meets regularly, keeps track of the Parish Accounts and advises the Parish Priest on budgeting.

The parish has a youth group called COD, Catholic Children of Devizes, who meet once a month to learn about their faith, work for charity and promote CAFOD's 'Live Simply' project. The parish has a small cemetery next to the Immaculate Conception Church, managed by a Burial Committee.

The parish has an SVP group whose members invite the parish to join them for refreshments after Mass on the feast of St Vincent de Paul. The parish is planning a Jubilee Mass on Saturday 13th July 2024, with a recording of it available. The Devizes CAFOD committee was started about 2002 through the instigation of Chrissie Leonard-Nelson.