Roman Catholic Parish of Stevenage

The most ambitious of the new Catholic churches built for Stevenage New Town, this is a modern design on a traditional longitudinal plan, built by Burles & Newton in 1961-62.

Stevenage was designated the first post-war New Town on 1 August 1946. The town was planned with six self-contained neighbourhoods, starting with the Stoney Hall and Monks Wood estates in 1951. Bedwell was laid out in 1952, followed by Broadwater and Shephall (1953), Chells (1960s) and later Pin Green and Symonds Green. A new Catholic parish at Shepwell was erected in 1958, the congregation initially worshipping in a temporary building that had been brought over from St Joseph’s at Bedwell. The present church was built in 1961-62, from designs by Burles & Newton. A projected flat-roofed hall attached at the (ritual) west end was not built. 

Credit: Taking Stock