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St. Francis, Kineton
St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic church is nestled in the centre of
England - approx. half way between Stratford upon Avon and Banbury.
There has been a parish church supporting the community since 1855, based at St. Joseph's
Catholic church in Avon Dassett (see below). In 1971 it was decided
that Kineton was a better centre of the parish, and a house in Market Street (Kineton) was purchased as a presbytery and the parish priest came to live in
Kineton.
Catholic residents of Kineton at that time worshipped at St. Francis chapel
in Bridge Street, which had been converted from a barn in 1927. This church
became too small for the growing congregation, and a new and more convenient
church was planned and built on land behind the presbytery. This
is the current church of St. Francis.
Some furnishings were transferred from the chapel in Bridge Street, the
benches were obtained from Warwick Hospital Authority, the Stations of the Cross
were donated by parishioners, as were the baptismal font, organ, books, and
other items. The parishioners also took an active part in the planning and
execution of the whole project. The new church was officially opened in April
1976. Over time, some of the furnishings from the chapel in Bridge Street
have been replaced (2003), including a new stone altar, lectern, and credence
table.
During the past 25 years the parish has seen further changes. Another 2
buildings were bought in Southam Street. Anvil House became the home of the
parish priest, and the cottage (next door and in front of the church) is used
for Sunday school for the children as well as coffee gathering (after mass 1st and 3rd
Sunday in the month) and a meeting place for various prayer groups in the
parish.
St. Joseph, Avon Dassett
In the middle of the last century many Catholic churches were being built in
England in the Gothic style - a movement inspired by the great Catholic
architect Augustus Pugin and encouraged by the generous Catholic laymen such as
the sixteenth Earl of Shrewsbury. St. Joseph's is a church of this period,
and was built by Joseph Knight in 1854. Knight had a nursery garden
well-known in Victorian London and he had already been responsible for the older
part of St. Mary's Cadogan Street in Chelsea, as well as some alms houses there.
The architect at Avon Dassett was Thomas Meyer - thought to have been a London
man - and an elevation of the church and presbytery signed by him (in April
1854) is still to be found in the presbytery.
St. Joseph's stands half-way up the village street. It's slate-covered
spire contrasting with the stone spire of the parish church further up the hill.
The design is a Gothic mixture. The lancet windows are derived from 13th century
churches, although some are from the well-known Victorian firm, Hardman of
Birmingham . Inside, the mouldings of the four wide arches are carried up
without the interruption of capitals or other detailed carvings typical of some
later Gothic churches. Their simplicity shows up admirably the beauty of
the local stone - ranging from fawny to golden brown, to bluish grey and even
sage green. In contrast to this simplicity is the brightly coloured glass of the
windows and the great crucifix handing in the Chancel arch, purchased in Italy
especially for St. Joseph's.
St. Joseph's was established as the parish church in 1855 and consecrated in
the same year. The first entry in the baptismal register was dated 22 August
1857, when Fr William O'Grady baptised Pauline Mary Perry, whose mother was a
member of the Knight family earlier referred to. St. Joseph's remained the
parish church until 1971 when Kineton became the home of the parish priest.
Sunday mass is still celebrated at 11am on Sundays.
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