Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Wellingborough

Introduction

The church is one of several in the Diocese of Northampton by London architect S. J. Nicholl, distinguished by highly original details and a largely intact interior.

History

The mission in Wellingborough was established in 1869 largely due to the Arkwright family of Knuston Hall. Land for the permanent church was purchased incrementally between 1873 and 1882, and S. J. Nicholl was commissioned to design the church in 1884. An intended tower was never built.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is in late Gothic style with idiosyncrasies such as the unconventional tracery of the rose window and the hood mould of the south porch rising to a finial topped by a winged angel. The sanctuary has an unusual arrangement of a baldacchino integral with the east window, richly decorated with an ogee rib vault. The interior includes a richly decorated high altar and side altar, rood and rood beam, octagonal stone pulpit and font. The organ case in the north transept was restored in 2001.

The Stations of the Cross were purchased from Burns & Oates in 1887. The interior has a 2-bay chancel arcade of tall Perpendicular style arches and a large moulded stone canopy over the altar with an ogee-head arch and rose window behind. The marble chancel rail is probably early C20 with elaborate flanking statue niches and figures on the tie beam above. The baptistry to the left of the chancel has a marble altar and moulded stone font.

The church is built of rusticated ironstone with ashlar dressings and a plain-tile roof. The church has a nave, aisled chancel, transepts, baptistry and attached presbytery, all on a north-south axis. The transept has a large 3-light window with transom. The building has a plain corbelled cornice and ashlar gable parapets with finials and foliated kneelers.

The gabled porch to the far left has a door with ogee head and a window above a central statue. The south gable elevation has a large 6-light window. The interior has chamfered arches with foliated and corbelled capitals to the transepts. The church is Grade II listed.

The church has a marble altar with reredos. The nave windows have niches with statues between. The stone pulpit has niches and statues. The church has an alabaster altar rail around a framed icon at the west end of the nave.

Several stained glass windows in the sanctuary and north transept are more likely by the Catholic firm of Lavers, Barraud and Westlake than by C. E. Kempe. The church has nineteenth century pews. The church has other carved altars, sculptures and decorative enrichments. The interior of the sanctuary and north transept has a feeling of wilful 'high Victorian Rogue' design in the treatment of the wall and arches between the sanctuary and the organ chamber. The church has a rood and rood beam with painted decoration to the roof above.

Parish life

The parish has a team of trained readers who come from all parts of the community and play a vital role in the prayer and sacramental life of the parish. The parish is diverse, based across two churches, and its people share prayer styles from all over the world.

Sacraments and pastoral care

During Children's Liturgy, DBS-checked catechists lead the children to a classroom within the church premises, where they hear the Gospel in the form of Bible stories and take part in age-appropriate activities.