The Building - Architectural Details

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It took two years to plan the church building. The architect was Edward Doran-Webb. Well-known locally, he had worked at the Oratory in Birmingham and also in Oxford. He had worked for the Arundels at Wardour.
The plan he suggested was cruciform, in a “Late English” style. The stone used came from Newtown, between Tisbury and Chilmark, both for the church and for the tower, which was added later. Father Chapleau was determined that only a high quality would do and the completion waited until that quality could be afforded.
The foundation stone was laid by Charles Graham, Bishop of Plymouth, assisted by a number of visiting priests from Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset, as well as by the Fathers and students FMI from Belmont House as reported in the Western Gazette of 7th May 1909.

The Laying of the Foundation Stone, May 1909

The Solemn Blessing in 1910 and the opening of the new church was reported in the Western Gazette of 23rd September 1910. There was a Blessing by Father General Gallais FMI on September 21st 1910. The actual opening took place on September 22nd with Solemn High Mass celebrated by Father Dodard of Marnhull, with a sermon preached by the Bishop of Clifton. Luncheon was taken at the Grosvenor Hotel.

Financial Troubles
The building firm had had a great deal of financial trouble in successfully achieving Mr Doran-Webb’s plans. The total cost “of the sacred building was £2,850 and towards this amount a considerable sum had been raised....” said a leaflet got up by Fr Chapleau. “…The Bishop has consented to the site being mortgaged for £400, owing to the pressing necessity for the provision of such a building”.

The upper part of the tower was not added until the time of Fr Harcourt’s departure in 1928 in the style of local Dorset towers.

St Edward's before the tower was added

The building was slowly completed: a tower with a carillon of bells was built; an altar to Our Lady was erected; a reredos (designed by Mr Doran-Webb) installed behind the High Altar depicting Diocesan and National saints. The reredos cost £125 with five statues being purchased for the cost of four – a bargain even then. The statues depict St George, St Aldhelm, St Edward, St Boniface and St Michael. The reredos and the statues were carved in Tisbury stone.

The church and the Order property went from bad to worse. The church boiler exploded; rain came through the tower into the church. But for the relentless and faithful devotion of church caretakers, organist, choir, housekeeper, visiting and supply priests, the church of St Edward would have suffered even more seriously than in fact it did. Happily it survived.

 

Restoration and Development
Serious defects in the church and the presbytery had to be dealt with in rotation, due to the lack of capital. Rooves leaked in the church tower and the nave. The boiler had to be replaced and was converted to burn anthracite. Thanks be to God the caretaker could still attend to everything, helped by her husband. There was an accident on Ascension Day 1948 when, during a violent thunderstorm the church tower was struck by lightning and a pinnacle destroyed. Fortunately the repairs were paid for by insurance there was enough money to install a lightning conductor. Within a few years several important decisions were made:

• preparing for the celebration of the church golden jubilee in 1960 by replacing the floor with beech blocks
• building an altar of St Joseph in Clipsham stone
• carving a new set of Stations of the cross by Mr Peter Watts (in Tisbury stone) and
• repairing the church and sacristy roofs
• creating a church building fund to provide a side aisle
• increasing Sunday collections
• replacing coal central heating by gas

Donations from a Miss Rutley and later a Mr Flanagan however made it possible to solve many of the problems despite the serious financial situation in the country at the time.
It had been felt for a long time that the presbytery in Great Lane was too far from the church for efficient control and supervision. Also winter weather was beginning to impose a stress on the parish staff and both the caretakers, Mr and Mrs E Dare had died. Fr Jeanneau instigated the idea of moving the presbytery. Bishop Restieaux was persuaded to accept the offer of Miss K Tancred to sell him her house next to the church and simultaneously, the Sons of Mary Immaculate sold the presbytery in Great Lane and lent some of the proceeds, free of interest, to modernise the house in Salisbury Street. So it came to pass that the presbytery moved near to the church!

Building the Hall
In 1989, a project led by Father Barnaby Dowling took place and unlike most, involved many months of planning. Groups were formed to focus on the needs of the church administration, social, services and welfare. This led to a review of the building and its shortcomings in particular:

• space for peak occasions
• difficulty of access for disabled people
• the lack of a toilet, and
• the lack of a hall

The process also identified the benefits of improving access from the presbytery to the church and access from the church to make better (some) use of the extensive garden. After much consideration it was decided to build one of the side aisles originally planned by Fathers Chapleau and Harcourt on the South East side of the church on a tarmacadamed area which was unused. It was seen possible to complete the works in time for the Centenary of the Parish in 1994 The architect was Philip Proctor, helped by his father Douglas. We must congratulate them on a fine design which adds greatly to the church and to the life of the parish. We owe much to their generosity. The builders, A Hammond and Son, carried out the design with excellent workmanship.
The consecration and blessing of the Church when it was opened in 1910 had been a mystery for some considerable time. In particular, there were no consecration crosses in the church nor any reference to the consecration in the Parish records and archives. I had to conclude that our dear little church had never been consecrated. Bishop Christopher Budd agreed to my suggestion that we should formally and legally consecrate the church and suggested June 19th 1994, which is near to the Feast day of King Edward the Martyr (20th June).

Bishop Christopher and Fr Jeanneau in front of the consecration stone, June 1994

Bishop Christopher arrived early in the presbytery, rehearsed the altar servers (having met Peter Jarvis, master of ceremonies). After a short introduction, the Bishop proceeded with the Consecration, anointing and preparation for Mass. There were about 150 people in church, worshippers and guests, Catholics and friends from other churches. The services was recorded on both audio and video. It was probably the most important service and event to occur in the church in the twentieth century.
A marquee was erected on the lawn at the back of the church and refreshments were served after the service with easy access having been made possible thanks to the new hall. The Parish and members of the various committees are very grateful to the Bishop, to the priests who attended from France and to all friends and parishioners who made of this day such a wonderful occasion. We thank all generous contributors to the building fund and remember in our prayers Mr. and Mrs. Flanagan whose endowment helped to provide our hall and side development.

The consecration plaque was cut in slate in 1994, by Richard Grasby. Normally a consecration plaque is small, inconsequential and tucked away but here it has been set on the front of the building. Richard Grasby also carved the consecration crosses.

 

 

The Stained Glass Window
The stained glass window was installed in 1999. For details of both it, and Henry Haig, its creator, please click on the image.