Walk-round Guide to the Sacred Heart Church

Walk-round Guide to the Sacred Heart Church

CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART
A SHORT WALK-ROUND GUIDE FOR VISITORS
The church celebrated its centenary in 1984, and the centenary of its
consecration in 2013. The corner stone was laid by Bishop Vaughan of
Plymouth in 1883. The church is built on the site of the former Bear Tavern,
which had belonged to the Abbots of Tavistock since 1481. The first postReformation record of a Catholic Church in Exeter is of a chapel in the
Mint, opposite the remains of St. Nicholas Priory. The chapel was recorded
as a place of worship in 1791, and the present church replaced it when
money was raised to pay for it, more than a century ago.
The stained glass windows down the aisle were installed to commemorate the
golden jubilee of the church’s opening. They show the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
and the inspiration of St. Margaret Mary to stimulate devotion to it among
Catholics. The last one shows St. Nicholas giving alms to needy people and is
a link between this church and the old Mint Church near St. Nicholas Priory.
At the bottom of the church is a statue of Christ the King. Immediately inside
the tower door is a statue of St. Patrick. The large “mission” crucifixion on
the bottom wall dates from about 1890. Next to it is a modest war memorial
tablet.
Next to the side door is the repository from which you may buy religious
articles, candles and greeting cards.
Before you leave, please say a prayer for all those past and present that
worship in this church.
R. A. B. Leaper
Start your tour by standing at the bottom of the church, looking up at the
neo-Gothic nave with its oak vault. The roof above it had to be replaced in
1989 – at considerable cost. The left aisle is wider than the right, the transept
is truncated, and the sanctuary is large with a fine stone reredos and two side
chapels. Note the large wrought-iron rood screen with the crucifixion scene
above it; this was given by Miss Middleton of London in 1886.
As you stand with your back to the main west door, the bell-tower is on your
left. It houses one bell, hung in 1884 and dedicated to St. Boniface. From the
outside you will notice that the tower is somewhat squat; it was originally
intended to add a spire. The church escaped almost unscathed from the firebomb attack during the war in 1942, which destroyed the city centre.
The inside walls are of varied stone from Poccombe quarries with Bath
stone dressing. The columns up the aisles are of Portland stone with brown
Poccombe stone above.
Now turn right past the pieta to the corner baptistery. There are good
wrought-iron gates and rails with the inscription “Janua Caeli” (gate of
heaven). A brass plaque on the wall records the gift of the baptistery rails in
memory of a former M.P. of Exeter until 1874. The font itself is modern,
and a stained glass window above it is in memory of the church architect
and his wife.
Walk up the south aisle past the confessionals and you will see on your left
the stone pulpit with miniature panels and appropriate exhortations. At the
top of the aisle is the St. Joseph altar, the gift of Mrs. Alexandra Knight of
Axminster in 1881. Note the inlaid wooden floor blocks with a similar pattern
to those on the main sanctuary. They are of Italian origin of unusually
intricate design; they were repaired and replaced under a Manpower Services
Commission scheme in 1985.
Turn left across the front of the altar rails with their painted depictions of
Christ’s suffering and death, and an inscription describing the Holy Eucharist.
The Mass Altar is in the centre of the sanctuary and the old High Altar behind
it dates from 1906 and is decorated in marble and alabaster. The ornate stone
reredos depicts scenes in the life of Christ and his mother Mary. Please do not
walk on the sanctuary. Turn around with your back to the altar. Note the large
clear glass west window lighting the nave, and also the Stations of the Cross
around the wall, painted on zinc in Munich and given to the church in 1886
by Miss Middleton.
Turn back now towards the sanctuary: there are two murals painted high up
on each of the side walls. One depicts Christ the High Priest and the other
James Tuberville, last Catholic Bishop of Exeter, 1570. Above the altar rails
are two recent statues – one of them our Lady of Sorrows and the other of the
Sacred Heart.
Continue across to the Lady Chapel where, on the left wall in front, is a
plaque to “Edward Petre, aviator”. The stained glass windows above depict
the definition of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The altar is
marble, with stone carvings showing the annunciation (centre) and the
assumption and coronation of Mary on either side. The reredos shows the
marriage feast at Cana and the crucifixion.
Next, down the north aisle is the elaborate altar of the early English saints,
many of them local and little known today. Reading the names is an
interesting exercise in itself! Above the altar is the large stained glass window
to St. Boniface of Crediton, showing scenes from his life including his
martyrdom in Germany.
Saint Boniface was born in Crediton, baptised Winfrith, and later named
Boniface. He was educated at an Exeter monastery, then at Nursling, in
Hampshire. He was ordained a priest when aged thirty. He was a successful
preacher and teacher, and chosen as envoy from the Wessex synod to the
Archbishop of Canterbury. Boniface was chosen to go on missionary work
to Frisia and was elected Abbot of Nursling on return to England. However,
he preferred to return to Frisia to help Willibrord, then to Hesse and Bavaria.
He was consecrated bishop in 722 and Archbishop in 732. After helping to
reform the Church in France he returned to Frisia in later life and was killed
with his companions near Dokkum in 754, his body being taken to Fulda.
Saint Boniface is patron of the Catholic Diocese of Plymouth and is revered
by the Church of England Diocese in Exeter. Our Church’s one bell, hung in
1884, is dedicated to St. Boniface. There is an ecumenical Boniface Centre
in Crediton.
Der Altar des Heilige Bonifatius ist am Ende des nördlichen Seitenschiffs.
Er befindet sich unmittelbar unterhalb des St. Bonifatius-Fensters, welches
das Leben des Heiligen darstellt.
Bonifatius wurde in Crediton geboren und Winfrith getauft, später änderte er
den Namen in Bonifatius. Er wurde in einem Kloster in Exeter ausgebildet,
dann in Nursling (Hampshire), und im Alter von 30 Jahren zum Priester
geweiht. Er war ein erfolgreicher Prediger und Lehrer und wurde daher als
Botschafter der Synode von Wessex zum Erzbischof von Canterbury
gesandt. Bonifatius wurde ausgewählt, um zur Missionsarbeit nach Friesland
zu gehen. Mit der Rückkehr nach England wurde er zum Abt von Nursling
gewählt. Allerdings kehrte er nach Friesland zurück, um Willibrord zu
helfen, dann zog er weiter nach Hessen und Bayern. 722 wurde er zum
Bischof und 732 zum Erzbischof geweiht. Nachdem Bonifatius half, die
Kirche in Frankreich zu reformieren, ging er später wieder nach Friesland.
Dort wurde er im Jahre 754 mit seinen Begleitern in der Nähe von Dokkum
ermordet, worauf sein Leichnam nach Fulda gebracht wurde.
Bonifatius ist der Patron der katholischen Diözese von Plymouth und wird
auch von der Diözese der Church of England in Exeter verehrt. Unsere
einzelne Kirchenglocke, die im Jahre 1884 aufgehängt wurde, ist dem
heiligen Bonifatius gewidmet. Es gibt ein ökumenisches Bonifatius-Center
in Crediton.
Turn around now and look up at the organ loft, used by the church choir on
Sundays and Feast Days. The Organ was built in 1893 by Hele and
Company; the organ case was designed by Mr Thompson, the manager of
the company - who was a member of the Parish of the Sacred Heart. In 1988
the organ was completely overhauled after damage caused by a leaking roof.