Church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandria

About

The Church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandria is a Catholic church situated in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, England, noted for its remarkable and extensive mosaics. The church is heavily influenced by the churches in Ravenna, just south of Venice, Italy. Walter Loveridge Hodgkinson of Rashwood Court, Droitwich, was the main benefactor of the church. He built the church in memory of his wife Catherine who died in 1906. The architect was Frank Barry Peacock, a partner in the Birmingham Architectural practice of Peacock and Bewlay. The foundation stone was laid on 25 November 1919, the feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria and the birth date of Catherine Hodgkinson. The first Mass was celebrated on 24 November 1921, the anniversary of the death of Catherine Hodgkinson. The building was listed at Grade II* on 11 December 2013.

The Mosaics: The mosaics at the Sacred Heart Church were designed by renowned artist Gabriel Pippet (1880–1962) from Solihull and carried out by a highly skilled mosaicist Maurice Josey, from London, assisted by Fred Oates, a teenager. They were started in 1921 and took 12 years to complete, although some later work was added. Eight and a half...