Two remarkable churches in Yorkshire have had their listing upgraded to Grade I on the advice of Historic England
St Charles Borromeo, Hull and Ampleforth Abbey are now afforded the highest level of protection by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The church of St Borromeo in Hull has long been considered a hidden gem. Behind the Jarratt Street façade is arguably one of the most opulent and dramatic interiors of any 19th-century church in England. Inspired by the Italian Baroque and Austrian Rococo, some of the decorative work was carried out by Austrian craftsman Heinrich Immenkamp who was a local resident. The classical exterior and grand porch was added in 1894 by Hull firm Smith, Brodrick and Lowther. The upgrade to Grade I celebrates Hull’s significant heritage in the run up to Hull City of Culture 2017.
The Roman Catholic Church of Ampleforth Abbey was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, one of the most eminent architects of the 20th century. Scott is best known for designing Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, Waterloo Bridge and Battersea Power Station, as well as the iconic K6 red telephone box.
Ampleforth is home to a community of more than 70 monks and Scott’s building reflects the pared back simplicity encouraged by the Benedictine order. The Abbey also plays a central part in the lives of the staff and students of Catholic boarding school Ampleforth College.
Built in two phases, the Abbey Church illustrates the way that Scott’s architecture developed through his life: the first phase, the east end built in the 1920s, is highly ornamented with dark coloured carved stonework; the second phase, the central tower, nave and transepts started in 1958 and completed in 1961 after Scott’s Death, is streamlined and much brighter.
David Evennett, Heritage Minister, said:
“These two churches are a wonderful example of the remarkable architecture Yorkshire has to offer. I am delighted that this upgrade will provide extra protection for these churches and also highlights Hull’s rich architecture as we look forward to the 2017 City of Culture celebrations.”
