Description

WOLVERHAMPTON

SO9198SE SNOW HILL
895-1/14/309 (East side)
16/07/49 Catholic Church of St Mary and St
John

GV II*

atholic church. 1851-5; enlarged east end, 1879-80. By Charles
Hansom. Ashlar with slate roof. Decorated style. Apsidal
chancel and flanking chapels and sacristy to south, nave with
lean-to aisles and transepts. 3-bay chancel has flanking 3-bay
apsidal chapels, all with gabled 2-light windows; chapel to
north has 3-light east and north windows; single-bay outer
chapel to north has 3-light north window; similar chapel to
south masked by sacristy, which has gabled straight-headed
windows to east. Transepts have 4 small gabled projections
with lights under 4-light windows; 2-light west windows,
north-west entrance. 5-bay nave has gabled buttresses and
paired 2-light windows to clerestory. Aisles have gabled
buttresses and 3-light windows; 2-light west windows; 2nd bay
from west on south side has pointed entrance with large
flanking buttresses, one with entrance: signs of projected
tower. West facade has entrance of 2 orders, Crucifixion to
tympanum over enriched paired doors, 6-light window above and
flanking gabled buttresses; gable has Crucifix and flanking
figures of SS Mary and John.
INTERIOR: chancel has 3-bay arcades with rich foliate
capitals, traceried parclose screens; vaulted roof on wall
shafts; east end has stencilled patterns and rich cornice;
chancel arch has hood mould and headstops. Inner chapels have
pointed tunnel vaults, cut through for arcades; all chapels
have double-chamfered arches to transepts. Nave has 5-bay
arcades and higher arches to transepts with quatrefoil piers
and rich foliate capitals; deep-arch-braced boarded roof with
corbelled shafts and stencilling; west organ gallery with 2
traceried organ cases and overthrow. Fittings: High Altar and
reredos enriched with niches and angels, end statues in
pinnacled niches, tabernacle has throne above with pinnacle;
traceried alabaster panels to altar rail; stone pulpit has
traceried panels and relief angels. Chapels have altars except
for outer north chapel, which has rich panelled octagonal font
with smaller bowl to side. Good stained glass, particularly to
east end, probably by Hardman; north aisle has monument to
B.Clark (died 1916) with statue on plinth next to copy of
famous seated statue of St Peter at St Peter's, Rome.
A good example of a mid-Victorian Catholic church notable
particularly for its rich interior fittings and the excellent
naturalistic carving of corbels and capitals.
(Shell County Guides: Thorold H: Staffordshire: London: 1978-:
P.186; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire:
London: P.316).

Listing NGR: SO9160698206

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Catholic Church of St Mary and St John at Wikipedia
• Catholic Church of St Mary and St John official website
• Wikidata Q17555369

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings