The foundations of the latter were laid in April, 1890, under the care of Rev. B. Cooney, S.J., the present Superior of the Mission, and the more arduous part of the church enlargement was brought to a satisfactory conclusion by the dedication of the new chancel and transepts on Saturday, March l0th, 1900.

The alterations of the old Oratory building necessary for placing it in harmony with the newer grander edifice, were set on foot immediately, and the entire church was solemnly opened for worship at Midnight Mass, Dec. 31st, 1900, by way of inaugurating the New Century. A lantern tower has still to be erected, the extreme portion of the west end to be slightly modified and finished off, and larger sacristies erected on the ground intervening between the north transept and the Central Post Office.

Mention may also be made here of the auxiliary Chapel of Mary Immaculate, Westbourne, which was first opened April 9th, 1893, at Lynnecourt, Marlborough Road, through the kindliness and zeal of Mrs. Teixeira, and was permanently removed on December 8th of the same year to Sydney Villas, Middle Road.

Father F.M. de Zilueta, S.J. was the first priest in charge of this chapel.

The congregation attached to the Church of the Sacred Heart - including Westbourne, but not the Boscombe District was computed, in 1900, at 1,200 souls. At the same date the Catholics of Boscombe were estimated at 500 souls. In 1871 Catholics numbered about 30.

Roll of Priests Who have been in charge of this Mission.

1869 (Oct 30.) to early in 1870 1870 - 1872    (Sept.) 1872 - 1873    (Oct. 22.) 1873 - 1874    (Sept.) 1874 - 1876    (Sept 1876 - 1880    (Nov.) 1881 - 1887    (Oct) 1887 - 1888    (Mar) 1888 - 1890    (Dec') 1890 - 1891    (May) 1891

Father Jas Brownbill Father Maurice Mann. Father A. Dignam. Father J. Meagher Father Jas. Bateman. Father W. Waterworth Father H. Birch Father Thomas Dykes Father H. S. Kerr Father G. Dover Father B. Cooney

Description of the Church.

The main architectural features of the old "Oratory of the Sacred Heart" have already been noticed in the preceding record of events. It only remains to describe the characteristics of the New Church - including under this term (1) that part of the building which is entirely new, consisting of chancel and transepts (2) the reconstructed Oratory of the past, now forming the body of the Church below the transepts.

Architecturally speaking, Mr. H. Clutton's designs, followed in the case of the old Oratory, were of a simple character - the general form and details being of a purely Early French type of gothic. This style was adopted also by Mr. A: J. Pilkington as the basis of his new designs chiefly on account of the possibility thus afforded him for producing a roomy church with an appearance of loftiness and breadth, though in reality possessing neither great height nor size.

Speaking broadly, the new church - as regards its nave, transepts, sanctuary, and chapels, - be fairly considered, in its proportions and style, of French origin with details of a more or less English type have been introduced and grafted on it.

Thus, the windows are clearly English - the arches and columns are as evidently French. The plan of the whole building is now cruciform, With nave and transepts of unusual width, and narrow aisles - the object being to accommodate the whole congregation as far as possible in the nave, and to use the aisles only as ambulatories and for processions.

The dimensions of the building are as follows :
Length from end to end, 117 ft.
Width across transepts, 68ft. 6ins.
Height from centre of wagon roof to floor, 40ft.
Height of lantern tower about 68ft.

Church accommodation, about 880 Seats. In the basement - a spacious Club Room, for the use of the Catholic Institute, the main entrance to which stands below the level of Richmond Hill.

But that part of the Church standing on the site of the old Oratory has been merely reconstructed on strengthened foundations, within the limits of the old walls, the original height being increased by the addition of a clerestory with windows of tinted cathedral glass.

As to materials employed, there is little of wood, and that fire-resisting. Swanage stone has been used for facing the external walls, the free stone dressings are from Monk's Park Quarry - the stone also adopted for the columns and arches - while Corngrit has been chosen for the four massive circular piers at the crossing, owing to the greater strength needed for bearing a load of some 350 tons. The three stone altars - the High Altar, and the side altars of Our Lady and of St Joseph - are the same that stood formerly in the old Oratory.

The two last, of course, no longer appear side by side, as formerly, but in their respective chapels on the left and right of the Sanctuary, and separated from the latter by the old side-screens of carved oak. Moreover in the case of the High Altar - a stone niche, supported by two slender marble pillars, and surmounted by a spiral gothic canopy has been introduced in the centre of the old reredos, and a carved stone panel added to the altar frontal, on either side of the I. H. S. monogram.

The handsome brass communion rails with Carrara medallions of the Sacred Heart and Jesuit Saints - originally presented by H. E. The baroness de Hugel in memory of her husband - have been temporarily adapted to the wider sanctuary,. and the old stone pulpit - the gift of the late Mrs. Bridgeman (I885) - stands at the gospel end of the rails, with the large and appealing Mission Crucifix on the preacher's right, attached to the stone pier.

At the corresponding pier on the Epistle side, stands for the present the old oaken shrine of the Sacred Heart - the Roman painting.

March 25th 1901

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