St Edward the Confessor Aylestone Road, Aylestone, Leicester LE2 ...

St Edward the Confessor
Aylestone Road, Aylestone, Leicester LE2
National Grid Reference SK575012
Statement of Importance
A church of very modest architectural interest, designed for the
Dominicans by a local architect and built by Frederick Bradford, a
Leicester builder who was a prominent figure in Catholic church
building in the mid-20 th century.
Part 1: Core data
1.1. Listed grade: Not listed
1.2. Conservation Area: No
1.3. Scheduled Ancient Monument: No
1.4. Churchyard: No
1.5. Date: 1922
1.6. Architect: Clement Stretton of Leicester (builder F. J. Bradford)
1.7. Date of visit: 3 November 2010

1.8. Name of report author: Neil Burton
1.9. Name of parish priest and/or contact(s) made on site: Rev. Peter Coyle
1.10. Associated buildings: presbytery adjacent and new (1998) hall behind church
1.11. Bibliographic references:
Nottingham Diocesan Yearbook, 1923
File in diocesan archives
Part 2: The building, its contents and its setting
2.1. Historical background
The first Mass in Aylestone was held in a private house in 1915. Shortly after the First
World War the Dominicans decided to establish a permanent place of worship and
purchased the present site. The church was built by F. J. Bradford of Leicester from
designs by Mr Clement Stretton of Leicester, and opened in 1922. The church was
designed to seat 250 and cost approximately £2,500.
The parish was transferred by the Dominicans to the Diocese in 1937.
2.2. The building and its principal fittings and furnishings
The church is a very simple structure, essentially a single principal volume with red
and buff brick walls and a pitched roof covered with Welsh slate. At the west end is a
red brick porch across the whole front with a lean-to pitched roof and a central
entrance under a small gable. The side walls are divided into seven bays by battered
brick buttresses and each bay has a large four-light timber window with simple
tracery in the head. The lower parts of the side walls are red brick, the upper parts
buff brick, perhaps a result of some later repair work.
The interior is a single space with plastered walls and an open timber roof. The large
clear-glazed rectangular timber windows have secondary glazing. At the west end is a
substantial timber organ gallery. There is no structural sanctuary and the tabernacle
is set in a large round-headed recess in the east wall. This is flanked by doorways
leading to the sacristy and to the new church hall. There is a modern free-standing
marble altar; the timber nave benches are probably original to the church.
2.3. The church in its setting
The church, hall and presbytery are set back behind an asphalted car park from the
busy A426 leading south from the centre of Leicester. The main road frontage is
mainly occupied by commercial premises, with early 20 th century terraced housing
behind.
2.4. Listed status
Not listed. The building is included in the Leicester City Council list of buildings of
local historic interest, but is not considered to be a candidate for statutory listing.

Part 3: Managing the building into its future
3.1. Condition
The church is in good condition.
3.2. Ancillary facilities
All facilities are provided in the modern (1998) hall behind the church.
3.3. Access
There is level access to the church building.
3.4. To what extent is the building amenable or vulnerable to change?
As a consequence of remaining in use as a place of worship: the church is a
simple building of little architectural interest and would be amenable to
change, if required.
As a consequence of being closed as a place of worship and passing into
alternative secular use: the building could be used for a secular purpose
without significant loss of character.
3.5. Category: 4