Oratorian Church (Birmingham)

Oratorian Church, crossing with dome

Portal facade

The Oratorian Church of the Immaculate Conception ( Church of the Immaculate Conception - Birmingham Oratory ) is a Roman Catholic parish and oratorian church in the Edgbaston district of the English metropolis of Birmingham . The neo-baroque basilica was built between 1903 and 1909 according to plans by Edward Doran Webb . It is closely connected to the work of John Henry Newman (died and buried in Edgbaston in 1890, beatified in 2010), who founded the Oratorian Convention in 1848 as the first in England and whose remains have been venerated in the Church since 2008. Newman's study and private chapel are shown in the convent building.

history

Newman's study in the Birmingham Oratory

The first church founded by Newman was built in 1853 and expanded from 1858–1861. After Newman's death in 1890, the plan arose to replace it with a larger and more representative memorial church for him. With the support of wealthy donors, the project could be realized by 1909.

architecture

The limestone church was modeled after early Italian baroque , but also shows neoclassical tendencies from the time it was built.

The broad main and the aisle- like narrow side aisles of the nave , separated by Corinthian colonnades, are spanned by coffered barrel vaults . Flat chapels are added to the side.

A copper-clad dome with a high drum stands above the crossing .

Furnishing

The interior is decorated with colored marble and mosaic pictures . Altars and sculptures were partially taken over from the previous building. An original baroque piece from Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome is the altar in the north arm of the transept.

A reliquary was created for the Philipp Neri Chapel in 1930 based on the model of the Roman Oratorian Church.

The (original) organ was built in 1909 by the organ builder Nicholson and gradually expanded by the builders in 1917 and 1939. In 1950 and 1967 the instrument was revised by the organ builders Rushworth & Dreaper. In 1987 the organ was rebuilt and re-voiced by the organ builder Nicholson (Worcester). The instrument has 59 registers on four manuals and a pedal .

I Choir C – g 3 Lovely bourdon 16 ′ Open diapason 8th' Viola da gamba 8th' Lovely covered 8th' Unda Maris 8th' Stopped Flute 4 ′ Nazard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Piccolo 2 ′ Tierce 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′ Clarinet 8th' Tremulant tuba 8th'

II Great C – g 3 Double Open Diapason 16 ′ Open Diapason I 8th' Open Diapason II 8th' Open Diapason III 8th' Corno Flute 8th' Stopped diapason 8th' Principal 4 ′ Hollow flute 4 ′ Twelfth 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Fifteenth 2 ′ Mixture III-IV Tromba 8th'

III Swell C-g 3 Contra gamba 16 ′ Open diapason 8th' Stopped diapason 8th' Viol d'Orchestre 8th' Salicional 8th' Voix Celeste 8th' Principal 4 ′ Pipe flute 4 ′ Fifteenth 2 ′ Mixture IV Double trumpet 16 ′ Cornopean 8th' oboe 8th' Clarion 4 ′ Tremulant

IV Solo C-g 3 Cantabile Diapason 8th' Echo Covered 8th' Dulciana 8th' Gemshorn 4 ′ Flautina 2 ′ tuba 8th'

Pedal C – g 3 Double Open Wood 32 ′ Open Wood I. 16 ′ Open Wood II 16 ′ Open diapason 16 ′ Violone 16 ′ Bourdon 16 ′ Echo Bourdon 16 ′ Bass quint 10 2 ⁄ 3  ′ Octave Wood 8th' Principal 8th' Bass flute 8th' Fifteenth 4 ′ Ophicleide 16 ′ Trombones 16 ′ Bombard 8th' Clarion 4 ′

• Coupling : I / II, III / II, IV / II, III / I, IV / II, IV / III; each manual as sub- and super-octave coupling; I / P, II / P, III / P, IV / P

Well-known members of the Birmingham Oratory

• John Henry Newman , Founder of the Convention
• Robert Byrne
• Edward Caswall
• John Dobree Dalgairns
• Henry Ignatius Dudley Ryder
• Ambrose St. John

Individual evidence

1. ↑ For more information on organ (English)

Web links

Commons : Oratorian Church (Birmingham)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Description on British Listed Buildings (English)

Coordinates: 52 ° 28 ′ 21 "  N , 1 ° 55 ′ 44.3"  W.