The Church of the Most Precious Blood is a Roman Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Southwark in the Pastoral Care of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, situated on O'Meara Street in Southwark, London, SE1.
Parish foundation and construction
The Parish of the Most Precious Blood was established in 1891 by the Bishop of Southwark, John Baptist Butt, upon a bequest of £10,000.[1] The church was designed by the architect Frederick Walters in Neo-Romanesque style. The combined cost of the construction of the church and adjoining presbytery was £7,000,[2] and they were completed in 1892.[3] The Stations of the Cross that adorn the walls of the interior were installed in 1894, and made from terracotta by the Swiss artist Matthias Zens.[2]
Later additions and ordinariate
The two bells of the church were made in the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and installed in 1956.[2] The shrine outside the church to Our Lady of Lourdes (or Our Lady of All Nations) was dedicated in 1957. It is made from Sicilian marble and stands in a niche lined with flint from Norfolk.[2]
In 2013, the parish joined the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.[4]
Heritage and interior
The church and its adjoining presbytery, forecourt walls and shrine have been listed Grade II on the National Heritage List for England since 2014.[3]
Denis Evinson, in his book Catholic Churches of London, described the interior as "...a joy to enter, warm, welcoming and uncluttered by busy detail".[2]
References
- 1."Most Precious Blood: History". Roman Catholic Church of the Most Precious Blood. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- 2.[2.2][2.3][2.4][2.5]Denis Evinson (1998). Catholic Churches of London. A&C Black. p. 205. ISBN 978-1-85075-819-8.
- 3.[3.2]Historic England. "Roman Catholic Church of the Most Precious Blood, Presbytery, Forecourt Walls and Shrine (1418445)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- 4."History". Catholic Church the Most Precious Blood. Retrieved 31 December 2022.