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

• Historic England Listing
• 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

• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version