Saint Therese of Lisieux, Abergele

Introduction

Saint Therese of Lisieux in Abergele, within the Diocese of Wrexham, was built in 1934 to the design of Guiseppe Rinvolucri, an Italian immigrant architect living in Conwy. The church is a distinctively Byzantine style inter-war church.

Architecture and furnishings

In 1971 the church was altered by Bowen, Dann, Davies, when the tabernacle and font by Victor Neep were installed. The church is built of limestone with copper sheet roof cladding, with a cruciform plan and all arms terminating in semi-circular apses. The church has a central dome with apex cross, barrel vaults to the arms, and semi-domes over the apses. The baptistery in the E apse has radially set grey slate pavings and a boldly designed font of 1971 by Victor Neep.

The Chapel of St Teresa in the W apse has an octagonal slate floor. The entrance arm is extended, and has a triple semi-circular arched arcade on a raised podium with marble columns and Byzantine style capitals. Apses and the entrance arm have triplets of round-headed small windows set high in the walls, and above, the parapet is outset on a corbel table. The interior is simple; plastered walls and high unmoulded arched openings to the wings, and smaller arches to the apses.

The splays of the main piers supporting the dome have simple niches. The eastern apse is raised, with a priest's door to the left, and marble pavings. The entrance arm is ceiled, above which is the choir gallery.