The Church of St Alban

THE CHURCH OF ST ALBAN, LONDON ROAD, RETFORD, DN22 6

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1391188
Date first listed:
30-Sept-2004
List Entry Name:
The Church of St Alban
Statutory Address:
THE CHURCH OF ST ALBAN, LONDON ROAD, RETFORD, DN22 6
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1391188
Date first listed:
30-Sept-2004
List Entry Name:
The Church of St Alban
Statutory Address 1:
THE CHURCH OF ST ALBAN, LONDON ROAD, RETFORD, DN22 6

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
THE CHURCH OF ST ALBAN, LONDON ROAD, RETFORD, DN22 6

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Nottinghamshire
District:
Bassetlaw (District Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
SK 70900 80589

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 15/12/2016


888/0/10005

RETFORD,
LONDON ROAD,
The Church of St Alban

30.09.04

G.V.

II

Church. 1902-13, chancel, nave and aisles; west end completed in 1931. Priest's vestry of 1970's. Original building by Charles Hodgson Fowler (of Durham). Front extension of 1930-1 by Wood & Oakley (of Newcastle-upon-Tyne). Limestone ashlar with stone dressings, extension of brick. Plain-tile roof and stone-coped gables with finials. Slate roof to tall spirelet. Plan of chancel with north transept and south Lady chapel, and nave with aisles. Perpendicular style.
Chancel has 5-light east window and windows high up to the south side over the Lady chapel which has a 3-light east window and 3 2-light south windows. North transept has a rose window over small lower windows. The fine octagonal spirelet is on the western corner of this has a top stage with cusped narrow louvre openings and a spire with finial. The 5-bay nave has aisles with small windows and stepped buttresses, those to north rising from a prominent roadside plinth. Tall 3-light clerestory windows above. West end has stepped angle buttresses and a fine traceried 5-light window over a moulded west doorway which is approached up a wide flight of steps with metal railings.

INTERIOR. Chancel has stained glass in east window of 1905 by C. Kempe of Christ in Majesty and saints. Below is a fine and elaborate reredos of 1908 designed by Fowler and made by Bowman of Stamford. Reredos is of oak and the figures of the Crucifixion and saints are in pine and were carved by Bridgeman of Lichfield. Chancel has a wagon roof and a low stone screen and steps. Fine furnishings include clergy desks with poppyhead finials and carved animal armrests and three rows of choir stalls. Hexagonal stone font with open tracery panels and coved foot is integral to south east arcade arch. Brass eagle lectern. Lady chapel has window installed in 1976. Nave has impressive arch-braced roof with finely moulded collars. Arcades have quatrefoil piers with moulded capitals from which rise tall double-chamfered arches. Octagonal stone font with bowl supported on a clustered stem and an oak strapwork cover.

This is a fine-quality church by an architect who was well-known not only throughout the North of England and the Midlands but also elsewhere. It uses the site well with a robust aisle wall fronting directly onto the adjacent lane and has an effective outline to this north front with a tall transept and elegant spirelet. The south side is treated differently with a Lady chapel and chancel windows above. This differing treatment makes for an effective chancel inside it also retains fine furnishings and stained glass. The nave is tall and impressive with large clerestory windows above moulded arcades. The whole of the interior is of stone it has fine roofs. Although the west front of 1931 is simpler than originally intended it is perhaps more effective with a large window over the long flight of steps up to the west door with prominent buttresses either side. This church also forms part of a significant group of historic buildings to either side and opposite.

SK7090080588

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
491538
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of The Church of St Alban

Map

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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