Description

LICHFIELD

SK10NW UPPER ST JOHN STREET
1094-1/3/236 (West side)
Church of Holy Cross and attached
Presbytery and School

II

Catholic church and presbytery. 1802-3, the church enlarged
and refronted 1834, transept 1892. For Dr Kirk. Front by
Joseph Potter (probably Jnr) of Lichfield.
Brick with ashlar dressings and front; tile and slate roofs.
4-bay church has transept to left and presbytery to right.
Norman/Early English transitional style.
Plain plinth, sill course and cornice; coped gables.
Front has square angle turret to left with nook shafts, string
course, and top cornice and pyramidal roof; offset clasping
buttress to right. Round-headed entrance of 2 orders with
shafts and scallop capitals, zig-zag and roll mouldings, plank
door with enriched strap hinges. Window of 3 pointed lights
with shafts, enriched archivolts and continuous hood mould;
trefoil above and gable cross.
Left return has 3 windows of 2 single-chamfered lights.
Transept has coped gable with cross; 2 windows to front have
4-light casements with 2 transoms.
Presbytery of 2 storeys; 2-window range. Painted brick and
hipped slate roof. Ground floor has 2 round-headed recesses
with entrance to left in plain doorcase with cornice and
overlight to 4-flush-panel door, large window with 12-pane
sash to right. 1st floor has windows with sills, and stuccoed
brick flat arches over 12-pane sashes.
Right return has small attached outhouses and projecting 1st
floor conservatory with horizontally sliding sash to front;
ground floor window has 3-light transomed casement. Rear
windows part obscured by later transept; 1899 school attached
to rear of church.
INTERIOR: panelled cambered ceiling; round sanctuary arch with
nook shafts and zig-zag moulding, flanking round-headed
niches; west gallery over porch. Altar has detached shafts of
coloured marble, low reredos with gabled tabernacle.
The church was built by Rev. Dr John Kirk, 1760-1851, who was
influential in the development of the C19 Catholic church.
(Victoria History of the County of Stafford: Greenslade M W:
Lichfield: Oxford: 1990-: P.155-6; Rowlands M B: Those Who
Have Gone Before Us: Birmingham: 1989-: P.37).

Listing NGR: SK1193408798

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26585925

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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