Saint Joan of Arc

Introduction

Saint Joan of Arc church in Farnham was built in 1929-30 by John Edward Dixon-Spain in a modern Romanesque style. The church is dedicated to Saint Joan of Arc, a dedication believed to be shared by only three other churches in England.

History

In 1923 the site on Tilford Road was purchased and a building fund set up. The foundation stone was laid in 1929. The north-west chapel, completed 1937, was dedicated to Saints Catherine and Margaret. John Edward Dixon-Spain converted to Roman Catholicism in 1914.

Architecture and furnishings

The church has a basilican plan with a nave flanked by north and south passage aisles. The church has a barrel-vaulted ceiling and plain arcading beneath semi-circular-headed clerestory windows. The sanctuary floor is of Roman stone with a large porphyry star. The church has six pieces of statuary by Vernon Hill.

Bronze Stations of the Cross by Agatha Walker were installed between 1965 and 1970. The west window is by Moira Forsyth and was installed in May 1973. A Henry Willis 2 organ, installed in late 2009, originated from Greyfriars Presbyterian church in Aberdeen. The church is built of red brick, Portland stone and concrete with a tiled roof.

The church has a narthex to the west end and a campanile to the south-east. The narthex has a central doorway with a classical stone surround, surmounted by a statue of St Joan of Arc by Roger de Villiers. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel, originally the Lady Chapel, is expressed as a series of flat-roofed rectangular forms of slightly varying height. The church has a steeply pitched roof over the nave and chancel, with flat-roofed aisles. The Chapel of St Catherine and St Margaret has a groin-vaulted ceiling and is separated from the aisle by a hard-wood screen.

Parish life

The parish holds Confession for youth after the Sunday evening Youth Mass on Advent and Lent Sundays and once a month. The church is open for prayer throughout the day on Monday, Thursday and Friday. The parish holds an annual send-off Mass and gathering for university students.

The parish supports Salesian College, a Catholic independent boys school for years 7 to 11 and 6th form. The parish has a youth suggestion box at the entrance to the church for requests for homilies. The parish has a suggestion box at the back of church for homily topics on science, human relationships, sexuality or other issues. Visitors can come in to pray and light a candle.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The highlight of the Confirmation experience is a retreat leading up to taking part in all the Easter services, preparing for Confirmation day with the Bishop.