Description

BIRMINGHAM THIMBLE MILL LANE
SP 08 NE
7/10000 CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH
Roman Catholic Church
and Presbytery
II
Roman Catholic cemetery chapel enlarged as church. 1850 mortuary
chapel by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin; enlarged in 1872 by Edward
Welby Pugin; restored 1945 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.
Ashlar with 1872 works in red brick with stone dressings. Slate roofs
with coped gable ends.
PLAN: Chancel and Lady Chapel are the 1850 mortuary chapel to which
was added in 1872 the nave, north aisle, west porch, north west
mortuary chapel and south presbytery. Decorated style 1850 work and
free High Victoria Gothic 1872 enlargement.
EXTERIOR: The ashlar chancel and Lady chapel have 3-light decorated
style geometric and reticulated tracery east windows with -small
quatrefoils above and 2 2-light north windows with reticulated
tracery; buttresses with set-offs, moulded plinth, moulded eaves and
gable copings with apex cross. The red brick and brick-dressed nave
has 3 tall south windows, each with foiled light over pair of lancets.
West end has gabled bellcote, gabled porch with carved tympanum 2
lancets above with foiled light above flanked by statues in niches
with corbel colonnettes and canopies. North gable of mortuary chapel
has foiled light above 3 small lancets. North aisle has 4 3-light
depressed 2-centred arch windows.
The presbytery attached to north side is of red brick with stone
dressings of 2 staggered gable-ended ranges with gable crosses, 2
storeys, mainly sash windows, those on first floor of gable ends have
stone relieving arches.
INTERIOR: 2-bay arcade between chancel and Lady Chapel with compressed
foliated capitals and 4 shafts. 5-bay north arcade with unusual
reeded piers, the reeding rising as mouldings in the scalloped
capitals. Painted timber roofs, the nave and north aisle have braces
on small corbels, the nave arched; chancel roof by Giles Gilbert
Scott. Mensa of Lady Chapel altar by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and
wooden reredos of circa 1950 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Circa 1850 stone high altar with wooden frontal; wood and gilt reredos of 1902 with five circa 1900
Birmingham Arts and Crafts tabernacle with chased silver doors. Edward Welby
Pugin pulpit. Circa 1850 chancel east window by Pugin/Hardman. Good
circa 1900 Stations of the Cross in late Gothic German style. Giles
Scott benches and decorative schemes.

Note: In circa 1850 Nechells began a separate Catholic cemetery amidst
financial difficulties. The 1870 expansion of the cemetery was partly
financed by Birmingham Town Council and the separate mortuary chapel
was built because of concern of leaving coffins in churches overnight
(a requirement of Catholic burial liturgy).
Source: Buildings News 1872, P.342.

Listing NGR: SP0885289024

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26565758

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.

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