Description

PRESTON

SD53SW GARSTANG ROAD 941-1/1/143 (East side) 02/09/85 Church of the English Martyrs

GV II

Roman Catholic church. 1863-7, by Edward Welby Pugin, enlarged 1888 by the same architect. Rock-faced sandstone, slate roof. Nave with north and south aisles, coupled north and south transepts with chapels on east sides, 5-sided apsidal chancel. Gothic style. The elaborate gabled west front is distinguished by 3 very prominent pinnacled turrets, one corbelled off the apex and enriched with statues in niches etc., and the others carried up from buttressed octagonal corners, enriched with blind arcading; and by a very large 2-centred arched 8-light window with multifoiled circular tracery. Beneath the window is a tripartite porch (of 1888) with crocketed gabled centre containing a moulded arched doorway and flanked by corbelled statues, and a similar north doorway. The 6-bay nave and aisles, by contrast, are very simply treated: the aisles have attenuated arched 2-light windows with plate tracery, and the nave has a clerestory of 18 small lancets. The coupled transepts, projected from the aisles and the same height, have tall 3-light traceried windows; their chapels have windows with geometric tracery; and the chancel has coupled 2-light windows. INTERIOR: 7-bay aisle and 2-bay transept arcades, of tall columns with heavily-foliated carved caps (all different), carrying moulded 2-centred arches with hoodmoulds which have festoons at the springing; wagon roof; projected west gallery (now with enclosed baptistry beneath); aisles with transverse arches and side arches; arcaded transepts with coupled and triple corbelled wall shafts; elaborate sanctuary dado with statues of saints and martyrs, and canopied reredos.

Listing NGR: SD5367730545

External Links

• Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, Preston at Wikipedia
• Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, Preston official website
• Wikidata Q15210302

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

• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)