Our Lady Help of Christians and St Denis Church, Torquay

Our Lady Help of Christians and St Denis Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in St Marychurch, Torquay, Devon, England. It was built in 1869 and designed by Joseph Hansom in the Gothic Revival style. It is located between Priory Road and St Margaret's Road in St Marychurch. It is a Grade II* listed building.[3]

Our Lady and St Denis Church
Our Lady Help of Christians and St Denis Church
Map
50°28′58″N 3°31′29″W / 50.4828°N 3.5248°W / 50.4828; -3.5248
LocationSt Marychurch, Torquay
CountryUnited Kingdom
DenominationRoman Catholic
WebsiteOurLadyandStDenis.org.uk
History
StatusParish church
DedicationMary Help of Christians
Saint Denis
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II* listed
Designated14 February 1972[1]
Architect(s)Joseph Hansom
StyleGothic Revival
Completed1869
Administration
ProvinceSouthwark
DiocesePlymouth
DeaneryTorbay[2]
ParishOur Lady Help of Christians & St Denis

History

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Foundation

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In 1864, Dominican nuns came to St Marychurch. They were invited by the Bishop of Plymouth William Vaughan. A house, Southampton Villa, was bought in the area. It housed the nuns, while an orphanage, St Mary's Priory, was built on the site.[4]

Construction

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In 1867, a Mr Potts Chatto, from the Daison estate, in thanksgiving for his son, Denis, recovering from a serious illness, paid for the construction of a church in the grounds of Southampton Villa. Joseph Hansom, who designed Plymouth Cathedral and Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, Torquay, was commissioned to design the church. In 1869, the church was opened. Southampton Villa was later demolished and the tower and spire of the church were built in its place. In 1871, a convent for the nuns next to the church was opened. The convent included a school and elementary school with a capacity for 200 children. An organ and lady chapel were later added to the church, they were paid for by Mrs Potts-Chatto.[4]

Parish

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The church is in the parish of Our Lady Help of Christians and St Denis. It has two Sunday Masses at 6:00pm on Saturday and 10:00am.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Roman Church of Our Lady, Help of Christians and St Denis, British Listed Buildings, retrieved 1 June 2022
  2. ^ a b Churches from Diocese of Plymouth, retrieved 1 June 2022
  3. ^ Historic England, Roman Church of Our Lady, Help of Christians and St Denis, retrieved 1 June 2022
  4. ^ a b Historic England, Torquay - Our Lady Help of Christians and St Denis, Taking Stock, retrieved 1 June 2022
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