St Francis' Church, Chester

St Francis' Church is in Grosvenor Street, Chester, Cheshire, England. It is an active Roman Catholic parish church in the diocese of Shrewsbury.[1] The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[2]

St Francis' Church, Chester
Church entrance
St Francis' Church, Chester
Location in Chester
OS grid referenceSJ 405 660
LocationGrosvenor Street, Chester, Cheshire
CountryEngland
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusParish church
DedicationSaint Francis
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated6 August 1998
Architect(s)Benjamin Bucknell
James O'Byrne
Architectural typeChurch
Groundbreaking1862
Completed1875
Specifications
MaterialsSandstone, slateroofs
Administration
DioceseShrewsbury

History

Building of the church started in 1862 to a design by Benjamin Bucknell. After a number of problems and complications, it was completed between 1874 and 1875 by James O'Byrne.[3] It was built for and is served by the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.[2]

Architecture

The church is constructed in red sandstone, and has roofs of banded grey and purple slates. At the west end is a narthex porch, above which is a five-light window. Over this is a pair of two-light Geometric windows flanking a canopied niche containing a statue of Saint Francis. On the east and west gables are stone cross finials.[2] It is a wide church without aisles.[3] Its interior is plastered, and is lined to give the appearance of stone. There is a west gallery containing an organ.[2] The walls are thick, and are hollowed out internally to form chapels and confessionals.[3] The organ was built by Gray and Davison in 1893, with additions by the same firm during the following year. It was restored in about 1998 by Rod Billingsley.[4]

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See also

References
  1. Our Parishes, The Chester Catholic, retrieved 20 February 2012
  2. Historic England, "Church of St Francis, Chester (1376259)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 February 2012
  3. Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew; Hubbard, Edward; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2011) [1971], Cheshire, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, pp. 243–244, ISBN 978-0-300-17043-6
  4. Cheshire, Chester, St. Francis of Assisi, Grosvenor Street (D05390), British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 20 February 2012
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