Roman Catholic Church of St Mary

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: Included for its special architectural interest as an early example in the region of correct revived Gothic, by a leading Victorian designer of Catholic churches. An important building in the local townscape and group value with attached monastery / clergy house. History: Catholic church of 1851-2 by Charles Hansom of Bristol Refugees from the famine in Ireland, and Irish soldiers in the regiments stationed in the barracks resulted in a significant Catholic population in the town by the later 1840s, and a Catholic missions was established in 1850 by the Rev. Peter Lewis. Services were first held in a converted property, but Fr. Lewis persuaded the Herbert Family of Llanarth, Monmouthshire, to purchase a site for a new church. Funds for the new building were raised by subscription, with a significant donation from Miss Catherine Richardson of Bath. However, funds were insufficient for the N aisle and S transept, which were never built. The parish was run by the Passionist Order from 1889 to 1986, and was restored under Under Fr Dominic O’Neill, the first Passionist Rector, in 1889 with new W organ gallery, font, boarded ceiling and painted decoration (now gone). The architect for the restoration was Albert Vicars of the London firm of Vicars & O’Neill and the works were funded by Misses Richardson (KF, daughter of General Richardson) and Abadam, Mr Charles Morris and others. At the same time, the presbytery was replaced with a larger 3-storey monastery / clergy house, also designed by Vicars. Nave windows of c1892 by Mayer of Munich. The interior survives largely intact with some of the original Hansom detail and layout and some changes from the 1889 restoration. Some items, such as the altar rails purchased with a bequest from Miss Richardson, ha

From Cadw under OGL v3.