St Werburgh's Church, Birkenhead
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{{Infobox church | name = St Werburgh's Church, Birkenhead| fullname = | image = St. Werburgh's RC Church, Birkenhead - geograph.org.uk - 405637.jpg| imagesize = | imagealt = | caption = St Werburgh's Church, Birkenhead| pushpin map = Merseyside| pushpin map alt = | pushpin mapsize = 200 | pushpin label position = | map caption = Location in Merseyside| location = Grange Road, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside| country = England | coordinates = {{coord|53.3895|-3.0218|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}} | osgraw = SJ 321 886| denomination = Roman Catholic | churchmanship = | membership = | attendance = | website = [http://www.motherchurch.co.uk/index.asp St Werburgh & St Laurence Church, Birkenhead] | former name = | bull date = | founded date = | founder = | dedication = | dedicated date = | consecrated date = | cult = | relics = | events = | past bishop = | people = | status = Parish church| functional status = Active| heritage designation = Grade II| designated date = 28 March 1974| architect = M. E. Hadfield (or John Smith)| architectural type = Church| style = Neoclassical| groundbreaking = 1835| completed date = 1837| construction cost = | closed date = | demolished date = | capacity = | length = | width = | width nave = | height = | diameter = | other dimensions = | floor count = | floor area = | spire quantity = | spire height = | materials = Sandstone, slate roofs | parish = | deanery = | archdeaconry = | diocese = Shrewsbury| province = | presbytery = | synod = | circuit = | district = | division = | subdivision = | archbishop = | bishop = | dean = | subdean = | provost = | provost-rector = | viceprovost = | canon = | canonpastor = | precentor = | archdeacon = | prebendary = | rector = | vicar = | curate = | priest = Revd Ray Burke| asstpriest = | minister = | assistant = | honpriest = | deacon = | seniorpastor = | pastor = | abbot = | chaplain = | reader = | organistdom = | director = | organist = | organscholar = | chapterclerk = | laychapter = | warden = | flowerguild = | musicgroup = | parishadmin = | serversguild = | logo = | logosize = }}
St Werburgh's Church is in Grange Road, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, England. It is an active Roman Catholic church in the diocese of Shrewsbury.{{Citation | url = http://www.catholicdirectory.org/Catholic_Information.asp?ID=32722| title = St Werburgh & St Laurence Church, Birkenhead| access-date = 18 December 2013| publisher = Catholic Directory}} The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.{{NHLE |num= 1218019|desc= Roman Catholic Church of St Werburgh, Birkenhead|accessdate= 18 December 2013|mode=cs2}}
History
The church was built between 1835 and 1837,{{Citation | last = Hartwell | first = Clare |last2 = Hyde | first2 = Matthew |last3 = Hubbard | first3 = Edward | author3-link=Edward Hubbard (architectural historian) | last4 =Pevsner | first4 =Nikolaus | author4-link =Nikolaus Pevsner | series= The Buildings of England| title = Cheshire | publisher =Yale University Press| year =2011| orig-year=1971| location =New Haven and London| page = 138| isbn =978-0-300-17043-6 }} and was opened on 15 August 1837.{{Citation | url = http://www.communigate.co.uk/chesh/stwerburgh/| title = St Werburgh & St Laurence: A Brief History| access-date = 18 December 2013| publisher = Newsquest Media}} The Neoclassical design of the church is usually attributed to M. E. Hadfield, although an alternative suggested accreditation is to John Smith of Liverpool. St Werburgh's was the first post-reformation church built on the Wirral and the neo-classic style is believed to have been intended to give the church the character of a Greek temple in an effort to avoid provoking anti-catholic sentiment in the district.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} The church was damaged by bombing in 1941 when a nearby school was destroyed. In March 1995 the neighbouring church of St Laurence closed. The parish of St Laurence has been combined with that of St Werburgh to form the parish of St Werburgh and St Laurence.
Architecture
St Werburgh's is constructed in pink ashlar sandstone with Welsh slate roofs. Its basement is rusticated. At the west and east ends are full-height angle pilasters, and a pediment with a cross on the apex. Protruding from the west end is a porch with a flat roof and a south doorway. On the north wall of the church are windows in flat entablatures with scrolled brackets. Protruding from the north wall are two confessionals. The nave is in five bays, and the interior of the church has been re-ordered.
Presbytery
Attached to the south of the church is a presbytery. This is built in the same style and in the same materials as the church. It is in two storeys and has a double-depth plan, with a central entrance hall. The windows are replaced sashes. The presbytery is also listed at Grade II.{{NHLE |num= 1282615|desc= St Werburgh's Presbytery, Birkenhead|accessdate= 18 December 2013|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Diocese of Shrewsbury}}
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Category:Roman Catholic churches in Merseyside
Category:Grade II listed churches in Merseyside
Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1837
Category:Grade II listed Roman Catholic churches in England
Category:19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United Kingdom