Directory
Bath
Church name:
Our Lady & St Alphege
Parish Priest:
Rev Richard Barton
Address:
St Alphege's Presbytery
Oldfield Lane
Bath
BA2 3NR
Parish date:
1929; consecrated 1954
Deanery:
Bath
History:
With the development and growth of the south western area of Bath, and an increase in the number of Catholics, it became necessary in the 1920s to build a church to accommodate those who were obliged to walk long distances either to St John the Evangelist or St Mary. The Father Prior of St John, Dom Anselm Rutherford, purchased a site in Oldfield Lane in 1925. The architect chosen to design the new church was Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect of the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool. The church, of the Roman basilica type, was completed and opened in 1929 and was dedicated to Our Lady and St Alphege. The latter was a monk at Deerhurst in Gloucestershire in the tenth century and eventually became Abbot of Bath. St Alphege was at first used as a chapel-of-ease being served from St John both under the Benedictines and, after the transfer in 1932, by the secular clergy. In 1937, the debt for its construction having been paid, it was constituted as a separate parish by Bishop Lee. The church was consecrated by Bishop Rudderham in October 1954, the year appropriately marking the Silver Jubilee of the opening of the church (the one thousandth anniversary of the birth of the patron St Alphege) and the completion of the Lady Chapel and sacristy. Four years later the presbytery and the linking passage to the church were completed. In 1958 the modified campanile, also designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, was completed but only to half the planned height. The ground floor of this tower served as the baptistery for many years. In 1960 a parish hall was opened and a new organ installed in the church. This was originally built in 1915 by Rushworth and Dreaper and is regarded as a superb instrument for a church the size of St Alphege. A second smaller church to accommodate the increase in the number of Catholics was built at Southdown and dedicated to St Joseph when it was completed in 1969 and opened by Bishop Rudderham. Alterations were subsequently made to the sanctuary of St Alphege and in 1986 a new lighting system was installed.However, the unusual pendant lampholders designed by Scott were retained.
Extract from 'The Diocese of Clifton 1850 – 2000' by Rev Dr J A Harding the Diocesan Archivist available here from the 'Books' section of the website.
Sunday Mass:
10.00 am
6.00 pm
Holy Days:
See parish website
Weekdays:
See parish website
Confessions:
Saturday 10.30 am
Also serves:
St Joseph's, Southdown
Tel:
01225 424894
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