Report - Ushaw Roman Catholic College, Durham - July 2013

raisinwing · Jul 23, 2013

Visited with JasperB - thanks to Stig for the heads up

Junior Roman Catholic seminary chapel. 1857-9 by E.W. Pugin after competition. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar plinth and dressings; roof of graduated Lakeland slates with stone gable copings. Gothic Revival style. Nave with south transept; Lady chapel on east of transept. High pointed arched windows, 2-light in nave, 4-light in transept and 5-light in east front, under dripmoulds in buttressed bays; diagonal buttresses to transept, set-back buttresses at east and west ends. Sill string, stepped to large windows and to 6-foil Lady chapel window. Gablets on buttresses and on kneelers of steeply-pitched corbelled roof. Stone cross finials. INTERIOR: has painted plaster with long wall-posts on angel corbels supporting arch-braced panelled roof with stencil decoration. 2-centred north entrance and organ arches. Much rich decoration, including painted moulded dado rail with naturalistic leaf stops; painted decoration of Lady chapel circa 1890 by Rev. Henry Gillow. Caen stone high altar with marble shafts and alabaster tabernacle arch; high-relief carved roundels in altar and scenes from life of St. Aloysius in reredos. Canopied statue of Our Lady, the Mother of Jesus, by Hoffman on north side of altar. West bay of north wall contains altar of St. Innocent, 1882 by Charles Hadfield with marble front and shafts, and Caen stone crocketed canopies over silver-plated reliquary doors, studded with crystal and purple stones. Lady chapel has richly-carved altar with frontal painted by A.M. Rossi. A second statue by Hoffman now removed to main college at entrance to chapel of St. Bede. Organ painted in Gothic style by Bevington. C19 stained glass includes some by Hardman.

Fun explore, lots of stuff to see and the chapels lovely. We spent most of our time in here, the rest is quite trashed but still a nice building.