Sumner Street
(Roman Catholic)
The Church was erected in 1882 at a cost of £17,000 on a site donated by Lord Howard. It was paid for by the generosity of Francis James Sumner to whom there is a memorial stone on the outside wall of the apse facing Tredcroft Street. On 3rd July before the stone laying there was a procession accompanied by the Volunteer Band, Chisworth and Charlesworth Band and Hollingworth Band. The Church was officially opened and consecrated by Dr. Bagshawe, Bishop of Nottingham on 18th August 1887.
The architect was Mr. A. E. Dempster of Birmingham and the contractor was Mr. J. L. Ward of Manchester – the contract being in the sum of £11,429. The architecture is Early English style with chancel, nave and north and south aisles. The nave measures 30 feet wide by 120 feet long by 70 feet high. The north and south aisles are 15 feet wide by 120 feet long and the chancel measures 24 feet by 27 feet with an octagonal apse. The nave is separated from the aisles on each side by eight hand carved stone pillars. The sanctuary is a pentagonal apse and on each side is a small chapel separated from the sanctuary by a carved stone screen surmounted by angels. The high altar is a piece of sculpture in Caen stone, the centre piece being The Last Supper, on either side the Crucifixion and Burial of our Saviour. Behind the altar is the Reredos sculpture in Caen stone of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven supported by angels, on either side Moses and the serpent and the Israelites being fed manna in the desert. A small altar in the south aisle is dedicated to St. Charles.
The fourteen Stations of the Cross were executed by Meyer of Munich. Each Station a special gift and on a brass plaque beneath each one is inscribed the donor’s name.
The first Parish Priest was Father Tasker (1882-1905) followed by Canon Aloysius Hawkins (1905-1919), Canon Wm. R. Winder (1919-1945), Father James Kavangh (1945-1948), Canon Humphrey Wilson (1948-1956), Canon Alfred Baldwin (1956-1978), Father Thomas Fitzgerald (1978).
This Church is still in use today.