Read the story of Sacred Heart Parish
The present parish can be said to have begun in the Hillsborough army barracks. In 1856, the priests from St Vincent’s Solly Street started a Mass Centre for Catholic soldiers stationed there. In 1903, Sacred Heart School was built and Mass began to be said at the end of a classroom.
The first parish priest, Canon Dunford, appointed in 1920, realised that, to flourish, the parish needed a permanent home. He immediately had a temporary church built which served for 15 years, then becoming the Parish Hall.
In May 1935, building began of the new church. Designed by Charles Hadfield, the church features textured brickwork and abstract stained glass windows. The building was completed remarkably quickly and the opening ceremony took place on 25 March 1936. However, completing the interior decoration took much longer.
The almost-austere simplicity of the construction forms a framework for some inspiring art works. In the Sanctuary is the huge mosaic altar backdrop of the compassionate Jesus of the Sacred Heart, whose message “Come to me all you that labour and are burdened and I will refresh you” has comforted and inspired many sitting before it. The mosaic was done in sections lying on the Sanctuary floor; angels, border and harts drinking on 2 March; head of Jesus on 3 March and so on. The whole was attached to the wall on 11 March 1936.
All the mosaics in the church are the work of Eric Newton. However, it was not until 25 years later, in 1961 for the Silver Jubilee of the church, that he was called back to make those in the two side chapels. Here, the small pieces of stone making up the mosaic were set at an angle to reflect light. The vibrant colours and design reflect something of post-war fashion!
The carvings in the church, including the Stations of the Cross, were done by Lindsay Clarke. Notable is his depiction, in the arch over the main entrance to the church, of a group in Lourdes. Included are the first parish priest, Canon Dunford, on the right, and the architect, Mr Hadfield left. The figure lying in the water is believed to be the parishioner, Alf Wood, who was cured of a serious illness during a trip to Lourdes in 1928.