The work of E. W. Pugin

[Praxiteles]

Church of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook, Dublin

Originally designe by Patrick Byrne, resigned in 1863 because of old age, an taken over by E.W. Pugin and G.C. Ashlin .

Here is an elevation as published in the Irish Builder on 15 August 1866



West facade left incomplete: pinacles added in 1910:

[Praxiteles]

St. Anne's, Rockferry, Birkenhead

designed by E.W. Pugin (1875)

[Praxiteles]

Our Lady's and St. Michael's, Workington

E. W. Pugin, 1876

[Praxiteles]

St. Joseph's, Glasthule

E.W. Pugin and G.C. Ashlin 1866

[Praxiteles]

St. Mary's, Burrow on Furness

E.W: Pugin 1852




St. Mary's Catholic Church is built on a plot of ground facing Duke Street, generously presented by the Duke of Devonshire through Sir James Ramsden, to whom the Catholics of Barrow owe a deep debt of gratitude. The designs were furnished by the late Mr. Pugin, to whose father this country is indebted for the revival of Gothic architecture-a style which seems intimately connected with the sublimity of christian worship. The church was built in 1866-7, at a cost of £6,000. The finished design includes a tower and spire which, when added, will render the building not only a conspicous object in the street in which it is situated, but an ornament to the town. The interior is spacious, accommodating about 800 persons, and consists of an apsidal chancel, nave, and side aisles. The latter are separated from the nave by rows of arches resting on pillars with alternately moulded and floriated capitals. The pupit is a creditable piece of carving, bearing on its four sides, cut in high relief, representations of the four evangelists in the act of committing to writing the inspirations of the, Holy Ghost. The chancel is embellished by a magnificent altar and reredos, designed and carved by Messrs. Neill and Pearson, the eminent sculptors of Dublin. The whole design is beautifully characteristic in its conception, and harmonizes well with the Gothic style which has been preserved throughout the edifice. The prominent portions, consisting of the antependium (front part of the altar), the tabernacle, and the candle benches, are all composed of statuary marble, except the plinth, which is of dark coloured marble. Behind is the reredos of Caen stone, containing six arches, three on each side of the tabernacle, resting on beautifully polished columns of Galway green marble. Within these niches are the following effigies : on the right the Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. James, and St. Paul; and on the left a statue of the Sacred Heart, St. Peter, and St. John. The reredos is surmounted by embattled work, richly moulded and carved. On the front of the altar are two very significant groups representing the Last Supper, after Leonardo da Vinci, and the Adoration of the Lamb. These groups stand out in high relief, and are both admirable specimens of the truthfulness and delicacy of the sculptor's chisel. Above the tabernacle rises a massive canopy, supported on red marble columns. It is octagonal, resting on a square, which has gablets on each of its four sides, in which are arches. Each of these gables is finished by a finial. The upper part of the canopy is richly crocketed, and terminates in a large floriated finial. The tabernacle and candle benches are heavily moulded and inlaid with red, green, and white marbles. The tabernacle is also enriched by an elaborate brass door, on which are engraved a cross, and a border of beautiful flowing foliage. The work is all executed in the highest style of art, and is a credit to the sculptors. Last year, 1881, a large and powerful organ was added to the church, which necessitated a very considerable enlargement of the gallery. The instrument was originally built by Messrs. Hill and Son, of London, for the Theatre of the Liverpool Philharmonic Society, and contains nearly 3,000 pipes. It is blown by hydraulic power, but is also so arranged as to be independent of water force. We are glad to note that the cheap coloured prints of the Stations of the Cross hitherto used in the church, are now (June, 1882) being replaced by a set more worthy the edifice. The new series are well executed oleographic copies of the Italian masters. Each picture is encased in a massive oak frame of two shades, richly carved in the Renaissance style. A bell and bugle moulding and corner pattresses give a lightness and artistic finish to the frame. The upper and lower shafts carry tablets, bearing the number of the station and the names of the donors. The frames are the design and work of Mr. Matthew Russell, and bear testimony to his manipulative skill. The mission is under the care of the Rev. E. Caffrey, assisted by two resident curates, and numbers about 5,000. Attached to the church is a handsome presbytery from the designs of Mr. J. O'Byrne, of Liverpool. The Schools, near the church, form a good block of buildings, of the Gothic style to agree with that edifice, and enlivened by the introduction of bands of cream coloured bricks. The accommodation becoming too limited, the schools were enlarged in 1881, by the addition of a spacious two storied building, increasing the capacity to about 1,000. The new wing is a substantial brick building with a capacity for 500 children, and was erected at a cost of about £3 per child of the accommodation. The boys' school is under the care of Mr. Bulmer, and the girls' and infants' under Miss Fairbairn and Miss Shaw.
from Mannex's directory of Furness and Cartmel, 1882.

[KerryBog2]

Praxiteles,
In a deep recess of my mind I have an image of St. Josephs Glasthule with a sort of stand-alone spire/belfry. I always thought it (the plan) looked very incongruous. Never built, do you know if that was part of the Pugin + Ashlin design or a later proposal?
Thanks
KB2

[Praxiteles]

Dear KerryBog2,

I am a little tied up at the moment with Midleton -where progress is being made - but I will get back to this quam primum. P

[gorton]

Hi Folks,
I've been ringing All Saints Barton for 2 weeks without success to gain access. I'll just have to try on spec. In the meantime for those of you who can get BBC2 there is an half hour documentary about Gorton Monastery and our trials and tribulations in getting through the funding and red tape. We had a private screening this week and the photography is absolutely stunning. So watch out for

" A Passion for Churches" BBC 2, 7.30 p.m 8th March 2006

Best wishes

[Luzarches]

Hi Gorton,

Can you tell me, as a matter of interest, whether before the deconsecration of the church Gorton had a continuous set of altar rails, i.e. rails running the whole width of the church, aisles and nave?

[gorton]

Hi Luzarches

Attached are two views of altar and sanctuary, both showing altar rails. The rails were present at the time of deconsecration and are probably post 1914. (or 1910) Immediately prior to 1914 there was a Rood Screen which lasts for less than a year. I'll check the details when i get to work on Monday. I cant tell if there are rails to the side altars at the top of the aisles, so will check pictures on Monday.

[gorton]

Sorry pictures didnt load will try again

[gorton]

Second time lucky

[sangallo]

Very interesting pictures of Gorton monastery in the previous post - thanks Gorton! The altar rails run the width of the church, embracing sanctuary and side chapels in a unity, a feature very noticeable in Pugin and Ashlin's Cobh Cathedral, also St Peter and Paul's, Cork, and All Saints, Barton. Could it be said that this was a feature of Pugin churches?
The reredos is most spectacular and unusual. How well does it survive?

[gorton]

My memory was playing tricks, the altar rails were in place by 1914 as you can see on the attached. If i had to hazard a guess i would place them at the latest 1885, the date the high altar was consecrated. The rood screen didnt last very long and appears to be part of minor re-ordering of the Church, possibly as part of the 1911 golden anniversary celebrations when the whole of the Church was re-decorated. The reredos is in appalling state, about only 1/3 rd survives. More on altar and reredos later. Incidentally the altar is by Peter Paul Pugin

[Praxiteles]

E. W. Pugin

The Basilica of Our Lady in Dadizele, Flanders

This looks to eb the interior before the WWI bombing.

[gorton]

It's a beautiful day here in Manchester so i thought i'd go to Mass, if thats the only way to get a look at Pugin's All Saint's Barton interior. Wrong:( Whats the world coming to when you can't get into Church on Sundays? However took some exterior shots. Bit difficult as all gates padlocked and views obscured from south by friary and from north by trees, however here they are. first 4 of 14

[gorton]

All Saints, Barton
second 4 of 14

[gorton]

All Saints Barton
third 4 of 14

[gorton]

All Saints Barton
last 2 of 14

[Praxiteles]

Dear Gorton,

Thanks a million for those beautiful pictures of Barton Church. From the facade, you can immediately see the same idea of the soaring arch whichE. W. Pugin used in Cobh, in Dadizele in Belgium and in Glasthule in Dublin. We must find out who has charge of the church and obtain entry.

[Luzarches]

E. W. Pugin

The Basilica of Our Lady in Dadizele, Flanders

This looks to eb the interior before the WWI bombing.

Praxiteles,

Did this church survive WWII to be faithfully rebuilt in the manner of St Martin, Ypres, or was it done on a budget? Any contemporary pictures?

[gorton]

Dear Praxiteles,
Thanks, i've got a phone number and web address for All Saints but no answers. It was'nt possible to even knock on friary door cos gates were padlocked. Concerned that no activity on a Sunday, although at least one set of tyre tracks in the snow. If you look closely at picture 4 you can see door appears to be nailed shut and picture 14 shows damage to roof. Are we facing another "Gorton Monastery". will keep you posted.

[Praxiteles]

I soncerely hope not. I was only thinking today that of E.W. Pugin's most important buildings Dadizele was bombed during the First World War; Gorton was abandoned and vandalized; and a crowd of ignorant sleezey clerics are trying to wreck Cobh.

[gorton]

Hi Sangallo,
Reredos at Gorton Monastery

In 1883 an outdoor workshop on the north side of the Friary garden was constructed to serve as brother Patrick Dalton's workshop for the creation of the high altar. P.P. Pugin designed this altar, which was one of the largest exemplars in the country at the time of its consecration in 1885. An article in Manchester Faces and Places written in 1900 describes in detail the altar and reredos as it existed at that time.

"The altar and reredos are very elaborate in decoration. At the back of the altar is the marble and alabaster reredos, forming a buttress to the great central canopy, which rises to the height of over 40 feet. The bottom of the reredos is composed of two large piers, that on the Epistle side containg the piscine, and that on the Gospel side the aumbry. On the top of these piers are canopied niches, in which are figures of St Anthony, St Clare, St Elizabeth of Hungary, and St Bonaventure. Arches with traceried and crocketed gables connect the piers with the walls of the chancel. On either side of the central canopy, which is supported by marble columns, are flying buttresses formed of open tracery work, and at the bottom of these buttresses are piers terminating in niches. In the niches on the gospel side is a figure of St Francis, and in that on the Epistle side is a statue of St Dominic. The throne, supported by two angels, is placed immediately under the central canopy, and is approached by steps following the line of the apsidal chancel, at the back of the reredos. The altar and tabernacle stand away from the reredos, and are approached by three stone steps. The altar top is of pure white marble supported by eight Californian marble shafts, and beneath the altar are panels on which are varied subjects emblematic of the eucharist. The tabernacle is of alabaster, richly moulded and carved, and has a door of beaten brass"

Sadly the altar has been heavily vandalised and presently all that remains are the stone steps and the brick base. The reredos has also been vandalised, mostly at the sides and upper edges. On the attached sketch, taken from an old photograph i've marked up in red the existing remains of the reredos. Anything out side of the red line has been lost and even those parts inside the red line have been subject to damage as you'll see from some sample photos i've attached.

Some times it makes me sad:( and other times it makes me mad:mad: but one day we will have the money to restore it - latest estimate £250,000

Cheers
Gorton

[Praxiteles]

Some shots of E. W. Pugin's most important American commission, The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour at Roxbury, Boston