Narborough, St Pius X - Diocese of Nottingham

St Pius X
Leicester Road, Narborough, Leicestershire LE19
National Grid Reference SP542978
Statement of Importance
A modest concrete-framed building dating originally from the late
1950s, originally built as a dual-purpose church and church hall, with
some later minor alterations.
Part 1: Core data
1.1. Listed grade: Not listed
1.2. Conservation Area: Narborough Conservation Area
1.3. Scheduled Ancient Monument: No
1.4. Churchyard: No
1.5. Dates: 1957-58, extended c1966
1.6. Architect: T.E. Wilson
1.7. Date of visit: 12 November 2010

1.8. Name of report author: Neil Burton
1.9. Name of parish priest and/or contact(s) made on site: Mgr John Hadley.
1.10. Associated buildings: integral hall and presbytery
1.11. Bibliographic references:
History on parish website: www.stpiusxnarborough.org
Catholic Building Review (Southern edition), 1969
Nottingham Diocesan Yearbook, 1959
Part 2: The building, its contents and its setting
2.1. Historical background
Sunday Mass was said in a doctor’s surgery in Narborough from 1939, then in a room
in the Narborough Arms Hotel, served from Blessed Sacrament, Braunstone,
Leicester. Through local fund-raising, a site was acquired in the Leicester Road and a
small new church-cum-church hall dedicated to the then newly-canonised Pope Pius
X was built in 1957-58, from designs by Thomas E. Wilson of Uppingham. The
builders were Bray & Oswin of Oadby and approximate cost was £3,400.
Narborough became a separate parish in 1965 and a new presbytery was built in 1967
(from designs by Reynolds & Scott). At about this time the church was refurbished
and enlarged by the addition of a sacristy and a separate parish hall. The hall was
enlarged and re-fitted in 2004.
2.2. The building and its principal fittings and furnishings
The church and hall are contiguous buildings under a single shallow-pitched roof
covered with concrete tiles. The building consists of a concrete portal frame of nine
bays, with an addition to the hall in plain buff brick. The west front of the church,
which is perhaps an addition of the 1960s, is faced in rubble masonry with strap
pointing and has an asymmetrical gable and to one side a projecting porch on brick
piers. The side walls have continuous strips of timber windows under the eaves with
timber panels below.
The interior is light and spacious. The ribs of the concrete frame are exposed. The
walls and ceiling are plastered or boarded and painted a light colour. The windows
are clear glazed. There is no structural sanctuary but the altar stands on a single step
with a shallow recess behind. The west bay of the church building is occupied by the
entrance lobby, a bookshop space and a lavatory.
2.3. The church in its setting
The church hall and presbytery stand on a large rectangular site fronting the
Leicester Road on the eastern fringes of Narborough.
2.4. Listed status
The church is not listed and is not considered to be a candidate for listing.

Part 3: Managing the building into its future
3.1. Condition
The building appears to be in good condition.
3.2. Ancillary facilities
The hall attached to the east end of the church provides ancillary facilities and there
is a DDA-compliant WC at the west end of the church.
3.3. Access
There is level access to the church through the main door.
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 space and could doubtless be re-arranged as required.
• As a consequence of being closed as a place of worship and passing into
alternative secular use: the church could serve a secular use without undue
loss of character, or the site might be redeveloped (subject to planning). It
should be noted that the site lies within the Narborough Conservation Area,
bringing controls over demolition and external change.
3.5. Category: 4