Presbytery to the Roman Catholic Church of St Francis Xavier

Summary

Presbytery constructed in around 1839 to the designs of Charles Day, extended and altered in the late-C20.

Reasons for Designation

The presbytery to the Roman Catholic Church of St Francis Xavier, designed by Charles Day in around 1839, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural Interest:

* the presbytery is a handsome, mid-C19 domestic building in a classical design, with symmetrical principal façade and stucco detailing to match the adjoining church;

* the presbytery contains much of its quality, mid-C19 fittings including its principal stair and some original joinery.

Historic Interest:

* for its association and continual use alongside the Roman Catholic Church of St Francis Xavier, the successor to another church in this location, which was licensed for worship in October 1791, immediately after the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1791 permitting the observance of Catholicism.

History

The Roman Catholic Church of St Francis Xavier was constructed in 1837-1839 to the designs of Charles Day, county surveyor of Worcestershire. The church was dedicated to the Jesuit missionary St Francis Xavier and its design is loosely based on the Athenian Treasury at Delphi in Greece. The church’s presbytery is understood to have been constructed at the same time as the adjoining church and is also to the designs of Charles Day.

The presbytery was extended slightly to the north with the erection of a single storey lean-to range in the mid to late C20. At an unknown date in the late-C20, two first-floor rooms were knocked together to create a large living space; modern fireplaces were also fitted within the space at this time.

Details

Presbytery constructed around 1839 to the designs of Charles Day, extended and altered in the late-C20.

MATERIALS: constructed of brick in Flemish bond with stone dressings under a slate roof.

PLAN: the building is roughly L-shaped on plan with single-storey lean-to extension to the north and the principal elevation facing west. The presbytery is linked directly to the church of St Francis Xavier (Grade II*) to the south via a single-storey sacristy.

EXTERIOR: the presbytery’s principal elevation is classically arranged over three bays and two storeys with a rendered moulded parapet above. The building has two tall brick stacks, one at the north end and the other to the south. The central bay projects slightly from the rest of the facade and contains the principal entrance accessed via three stone steps. The entrance has a moulded pediment above, supported by console brackets. The door has four panels with a plain over light with glazing bars. On the first floor above is a six-over-six sash window. The flanking bays contain a large window opening on each floor under rubbed brick flat arches. The openings contain tripartite windows with central six-over-six sashes with additional, two-over-two, marginal sashes to either side. To the north of the principal range is a single-storey C20 extension which is partially glazed. To the south is the single-storey building linking the presbytery to the church, containing the sacristy.

The north elevation is dominated by the lean-to C20 extension, with the 1839 building containing two six-over-six sashes at first floor and a larger tripartite sash at ground level, to the east of the extension.

The very rear (east) elevation of the 1839 building is blind and without openings. There are two iron building ties with pattress plates visible at first floor level. To the south, the north-south range of the L-shaped building contains two further six-over-six sashes, under flat brick arches. Further to the south, the building’s single-storey sacristy adjoins the presbytery and projects to the east.

INTERIOR: the principal entrance leads a small vestibule with partially glazed timber doors leading to the entrance hall which contains the original open-tread stair. The stair has a slender timber rail with scrolling volute end and stick balusters. To the north of the hall is one of the principal reception rooms with marble fireplace on the north wall. To either side are shallow arched wall niches. The room immediately to the south of the entrance is smaller and has had its fireplace removed. To the rear of the stair, at the back of the building, is a further reception room with decorative coved plaster ceiling. The coved ceiling curves to a central rectangular design with acanthus plaster motifs at the corners. The room has original deep moulded skirting boards and slim stepped-arch niches within the east wall. This room leads to the building’s kitchen facilities within the C20 extension to the north. To the south an additional small room serves as an office with adjacent cloakroom facilities.

The stair leads to the first floor via a half-landing. On the first floor a bedroom and bathroom are situated at the south-west end of the building, with a small room in use as an office at the centre, above the principal entrance. To the north two further rooms have been knocked together to form a large living space with modern fireplaces fixed to the north wall. To the east, a further bedroom contains an original fireplace with simple surround and decorative cast iron grate. There is also a C19 fitted cupboard within the room.

Decorative cast-iron radiators are in situ throughout the building as are some of the original four-panelled doors.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

372249

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Colvin, H, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, (2008), 304

Websites
'History of St Francis Xavier's Church Hereford', accessed 15 August 2023 from https://www.sfxhereford.org.uk/history
Hereford- St Francis Xavier, accessed 9 August 2023 from https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/hereford-st-francis-xavier/
Herefordshire SMR, St Francis Xavier RC Church, Broad Street, Hereford, accessed 9 August 2023 from https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MHE15110&resourceID=101

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry