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 reference | SJ 405 660 |
| Location | Grosvenor Street, Chester, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Francis |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 6 August 1998 |
| Architect(s) | Benjamin Bucknell James O'Byrne |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1862 |
| Completed | 1875 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, slateroofs |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Shrewsbury |
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]
References
- Our Parishes, The Chester Catholic, retrieved 20 February 2012
- Historic England, "Church of St Francis, Chester (1376259)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 20 February 2012
- 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
- Cheshire, Chester, St. Francis of Assisi, Grosvenor Street (D05390), British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 20 February 2012
