Description

LIVERPOOL

SJ3589 CATHARINE STREET
392/60/10150 Liverpool
25-MAY-00 CHURCH OF ST PHILIP NERI
R.C. Church

II*

Roman Catholic church. 1914-20. By P S Gilby.
MATERIALS: narrow red-brown brickwork with ashlar dressings and enrichments, metal sheet coverings to main and secondary domes, roof covering not visible.
PLAN: Linear plan, aligned east-west, with entrance and narthex to east, the narthex flanked by a side chapel to the north and a baptistry to the south. Nave with galleried east end, and shallow side aisles to north and south. Nave west end set beneath a dome, at the approach to the apse, behind which extends a vestry.
STYLE: Neo-Byzantine style.
EXTERIOR: EAST FRONT to Catharine Street with twin entrance doorways set within wide banded semi-circular arched opening of 2 orders, with attached columns. Flat-headed doorways with attenuated voussoirs forming part of tympanum with relief sculpture of The Virgin and Child. Above hood mould with head finials . Moulded ashlar coping to parapet with enriched ashlar corner panels and central tripartite panel above arch keystone. Wide central pier between doorways with shallow relief carving of Christ. Flanking the entrance are flat-roofed single storeyed side chapels with semi-circular headed single and 2-light windows Above, and set back behind narthex, east gable wall of nave, with shallow pediment to central part of parapet. Brick walling with masonry banding incorporates wide dentilled band at cill level of Diocletian window to upper part of gable set within banded arch. Below relief sculpture depicting 'The Last Supper'.
NORTH ELEVATION to Blackburne Place with 6 tall aisle windows set beneath stilted semi-circular arches. Plain shallow buttresses to ends and centre, the window to bay 5 shorter with double doorway below. Shallow parapet with ashlar coping and carved panels to pilaster heads. Set back above, tall nave side wall, with semi-circular clerestory windows to 3 eastern bays set on dentilled band, and separated by wide pilasters. Western bays form base to dome, and are raised further, with banded, dome headed pilasters to corners and a wide central
semi-circular arched window set upon dentilled cill band. Set back west end bay with circular light to lower part and semi-circular light above. Semi-circular apse with lower flat-roofed vestry range behind. West gable with semi-circular hood mould above apse roof, supporting an ashlar cross set below the gable pediment.
INTERIOR: Narthex with mosaic decoration to ceiling and inner tympanum. North side chapel dedicated to St Gerald Majella with marble altar and reredos, and mosiac decoration to walls. War memorial to south wall. South chapel forms baptistry with font and less lavish decoration. Nave with barrel vaulted ceiling and 6-bay arcades with semi-circular arches rising from square columns with mostly plain capitals. Above the arcades, the walls are decorated with mosaic representations of biblical scenes and portraits of the Saints. East end organ gallery supported on timber columns and with a curved frontage. Dome of unplastered masonry with 8 circular lights. Tall semi-circular arch to sanctuary, with side altars to flanking walls set before arched recesses with mosaic portraits. Arcaded marble altar rail with decorative metal gates, and with integral pulpit to south side. Apse with mosaic decoration throughout, except for plain backdrop to crucifix above the High Altar.
A distinguished early C20 Neo-Byzantine composition displaying a scholarly appreciation of Byzantine architectural detail and incorporating finely wrought exterior sculpture, and sumptuous mosaic enrichment internally.

Listing NGR: SJ3568989594

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Saint Philip Neri Church, Liverpool at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7402098

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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