Listed Building record MDO15376 - Church of St Alban, Charminster Road, Bournemouth

Church of St Alban, Charminster Road (West side, SZ 09 93) 1907-9, GH Fellowes-Pryne. Late Gothic proportion but elaborate Decorated tracery. Plan of nave, chancel, trancepts, apsidal baptistery at the West end, apsidal Lady Chapel on the North trancept. Grade B. <2>

1907-9, G H Fellowes Prynne. Large and striking church, Late Gothic proportions but elaborate Decorated tracery, Purbeck stone outside but polychromatic brick inside. Steep fall in ground, so east end raised up high above crypt vestries: paired 2-light windows between buttresses, chequerwork frieze and stone traceried panelling over, with 5-light east window in gable. North-east corner staircase 3-storey chamfered, transeptal south-east organ chamber. Transepts with double gables (3-light windows). North transept has apsidal Lady Chapel, 6 traceried lancets with panelled spandrels and deep parapet, over 2-light crypt windows between buttresses supporting squinches, to west of north transept, ground floor only of intended tower and spire, with elaborate ogee doorway under crested panelling. Nave has 3-light clerestory windows embraced by blind arcade between sharp triangular buttresses, aisle windows flat-headed, under wavy parapet. West end has apsidal baptistery (5 lancets) in centre of narthex with ogee doorways at each end and battlemented panelled parapet, 7-light west window over. Ogee-gabled crocketed bellcote on roof ridge. Nave interior of 3 bays plus short western bay: diamond-shaped piers of banded red brick and stone, on high polygonalwood-panelled bases, low segmental arches, with spandrels and clerestory banded in buff and red brick and stone, all embraced within overall triple-chamfered arches of red brick and stone. 2-bay transept arcade of high red brick and stone arches, no clerestory. Aisles and transept walls banded in buff and red brick and stone. Boarded wagon roof with iron ties to nave, canted rafters to transepts, transverse segmental buttress-arches of brick and stone to aisles with pierced quatrefoils in spandrels; wagon roof to chancel with ceilure. Ornate stone choir screen with marble inlay, supporting wrought-iron and brass openwork and gates. Octagonal pulpit. Organ over parclose screens, high-level minstrel gallery opposite. High altar has hangings under stone canopy. Lady Chapel apse has painted rafters, mosaic floor and marble steps. Font of Thorwaldsen angel type.<3>

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1974 (Map). SWX1197.

(SZ 0965 9320) St Alban's Church (NAT)

<2> DOE (HHR), 27 Feb 76, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Bournemouth 1976, 10 (Scheduling record). SWX3488.

<3> Department of the Environment, 15-Feb-1994, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Bournemouth amendment 1994 (Scheduling record). SWX4461.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24476 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of St Alban's Church in Bournemouth from the north-east

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24477 (Index). SDO14738.

Interior view of St Alban's Church in Bournemouth from the west

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 888518 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 31 2022 9:33AM