Roman Catholic Church of St Peter

Details

ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA

SP3165NE DORMER PLACE
1208-1/7/146 (North side)
25/03/70 Roman Catholic Church of St Peter

GV II

Church. 1862-4 with tower of 1877 and restorations and
rebuilding of 1884 following fire, with later additions and
alterations including chapel to north transept of 1894,
embellishments of 1901 and mid-C20 additions including garage
and boiler house to nave.
Original architect, Henry Clutton of London; builder, G
Gascoyne of Newbold Terrace, Leamington; for Canon Jeffries.
Restorations: architect, GH Cox of Birmingham; contractor, GF
Smith. Transept chapel: architect, AJ Pilkington; designer, AE
Purdie; for CJ Shaw. Craftsmen/manufacturers, Boulton and
Company of Cheltenham; Hardman and Company of Birmingham;
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin; Minton; EH Cox and AB Wall of Cheltenham.
Pinkish-brown brick in Flemish bond with Bath stone dressings
and plain tile roof.
STYLE: Gothic Revival, Early English.
PLAN: south-west bell tower and tower passage; 5-bay, aisled
nave with clerestory; short transepts, transept chapels and
EXTERIOR: tower has stepped buttresses to full height clasp
angles. Entrance to south side of tower has pointed-arched
opening with triple-chamfered head and double-chamfered base.
Rounded stair turret to west at lower stage. First stage band.
Slit windows to 3 sides. Second stage band. Slit windows to 4
sides. Corbel table. Pair of blind, pointed-arched openings to
each side. Corbel table. Pair of pointed-arched bell openings
to each side. Corbel table. Single-storey range joins tower to
west end. Plinth. Geometric style, quatrefoil window. Eaves
band.
West end: chamfered plinth. Angle buttresses; stepped
buttresses to either side of entrance.
Recessed, central double entrance in decorative surround with
statues of Blessed Virgin Mary and an angel between doors.
Roll-moulded, pointed-arched surround with four 3/4 engaged
columns with foliate capitals and hollow-moulded bases to
either side. Floral and quatrefoil decoration above.
Continuous impost band supports 2 outer lancet windows.
Continuous band above. Rose window with fleurons to surround.
Roll-moulded band continues around church at eaves level. 2
lancets to gable with continuous impost band. Further band and
cross. Copings to gable. Nave and clerestory have lancet
windows with chamfered surrounds. Roll-moulded impost and

eaves cornices. Transepts have single-stage buttresses. Band.
Cinquefoil rose window. Band. Copings to gable.
East chapel of north transept has statue of St. Peter to gable
end. Lancet windows to east end of aisles.
Apse: first stage band, pairs of lancet windows with
geometrical tracey to heads. Continuous impost band and
hoodmoulds, further band. Decorative ridge tiles.
INTERIOR: from west, organ loft supported on 3 banded columns
with foliate capitals. Pointed-arched arcade with
roll-moulding and continuous hollow-moulded hood supported by
double-shafted columns, divided midway by a moulded amulet
with foliate capitals and water-holding bases, on square
plinths decorated with foliate and floral motifs. Responds to
east end are similar double-shafted half-columns.
Aisles: continuous sill band. Corbel table. Continuous moulded
cornice acts as sill band to clerestory windows. Windows have
chamfered surrounds. Wagon roof. Further arches to transepts
and chapels have similar double-shafted columns and responds.
North transept chapels have mosaic floors, north-east Chapel
of the Sacred Heart has alabaster, Caen stone and marble
altar, reredos and super-alter designed by AJ Pilkington and
AE Purdie and executed by Boulton.
To south-east Chapel of St Joseph and altar by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin brought from former Leamington Mission, George Street (qv).
Chancel: altar rails on brass balustrade. Minton tile floor
with symbols of the paschal lamb and pelican.
Apse: sanctuary has moulded, decorated panels to first stage
with images of Popes by Hardman and Company, F Hill, artist,
to designs of D Powell, of 1901.
5 pairs of pointed-arched windows with Geometric-type tracery
to heads and stained glass by Hardman and Company Alabaster,
marble and Bath stone high altar by AB Wall of Cheltenham.
Font by Hardman, Powell and Company.
HISTORICAL NOTE: A fire of 1884 caused damage to the roof and
structure of the church. It was restored and rebuilt largely
to the original designs. Dormer Place was laid out c1822 and
originally known as The Promenade.
(St Peter's Church, Leamington Spa 1830-1901; McCallum L: St
Peter's Catholic Church, Leamington Spa Centenary Year 1964:
Royal Leamington Spa: 1964-; Leamington Spa Courier: 20 August
1864; 11 November 1884: Royal Leamington Spa; The Victoria
History of the Counties of England: A History of Warwick:
London: 1965-: 159; Cave LF: Royal Leamington Spa Its History
and Development: Chichester: 1988-: 173-5; Willington JR:
Catholicism in Leamington Past and Present: Royal Leamington
Spa: 1906-; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Wedgwood
A: Warwickshire: London: 1966-1990: 334-5).


Listing NGR: SP3168165696

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

481640

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
The Victoria History of the County of Warwick, (1965), 159
St Peter's Church, Leamington Spa, 1830-1901, ()
Pevsner, N, Wedgwood, A, The Buildings of England: Warwickshire, (1966), 334-335
Willington, JR, Catholicism in Leamington, Past and Present, (1906)
McCallum, L, St Peter's Catholic Church, Leamington Spa, Centenary Year, 1964, (1964)
Cave, L F, Royal Leamington Spa Its History and Development, (1988), 173-175
Leamington Spa Courier in 11 November, (1884)
Leamington Spa Courier in 20 August, (1964)

End of official list entry

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