St Joseph's Church

St Joseph's Church Austenwood Lane Chalfont St Peter Buckinghamshire SL9 8RY

Building

Roofed and walled permanent structures.

Asset type

Church

Age

The original church was designed by the architect Percy Aiden Lamb, and work started just 26 days before the outbreak of the 1st World War. Only one Aisle and a Chantry or Side Chapel were built, in an ornate Gothic Revival style, being opened in July 1915. It was then 48 years before the church was given a very large extension by the architect Percy Kelly, in a modern style based on a concrete structure, which opened in 1963. Notable Features: 1914 One Aisle and Lady Chapel built before WWI stopped work. Architect was Percy Aiden Lamb. 1931 Highly decorative marble and mosaic work, in Chantry Chapel and Lady Chapel. Artist was Cesare Tito Guiseppe Formilli. Formilli's best known work is at the Brompton Oratory. 1962 Rest of church built in a large concrete structure. Architect was Percy Kelly.

Architectural and Artistic Interest

Aesthetic interest: External style is described as ‘Edwardian Gothic’ and interior is ‘ornate Gothic’, same as his earlier Grade II listed church. The interior has much gold work and marble mosaics, as well as 6 stained glass windows (window artist unknown).

Historic Interest

Historical interest: Buried beneath one of the side aisles are Wealthy American industrialist, William Van Vleck Lidgerwood and his wife Alice. Lidgerwood endowed the Lidgerwood Chapel within the church. He also founded Speedwell Iron Works in Coatbridge, Scotland, a major employer which produced iron cables and hoisting equipment.

Archaeological Interest

Archaeological interest: Has been included in ‘The Historic Churches of Buckinghamshire Project’ begin in 2018, and has also been featured in the Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society’s newsletter. Designed by Percy Aiden Lamb an architect who specialised in designing Catholic churches, who studied under renowned architect Edward Goldie, and who worked on the construction of Westminster Abbey. One of his earlier churches, St Mary’s Church in the village of Preston Park, East Sussex, was grade II listed in 2015.

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11 Dec 2023