SP2878 : St Oswald's Church, Jardine Crescent, Tile Hill, west Coventry – interior and structure
taken 7 years ago, near to Eastern Green, Coventry, England
St Oswald's is one of the three local churches designed by Sir Basil Spence, architect of the new Coventry Cathedral. The others are the Church of St John the Divine, Willenhall, in the southeast of the city SP3676, and St Chad's Church, Wood End in the north SP3682. St Oswald's was built in 1957 and is celebrating its 60th year. It is listed Grade II, a rung on the ladder to restoring the bell tower.
The Vicar, Reverend Nicholas Leggett ("Father Nick") declared it to be the only High church in the city; as the leaflet puts it: "We pride ourselves on being Coventry's premier Anglo-Catholic parish … it has the largest membership of any Anglo-Catholic church in the city and is growing and developing its work". More information at Link
My thanks to Father Nick and Duane Harwood, Churchwarden for 20 years, for information and welcome.
Additional info from E Gammie, with thanks:
Bishop Gorton commissioned Spence to design the churches for new post-war housing estates. The money came from a war damage grant. Spence used the same structural elements for them all and arranged them differently dependent on the site layouts. Builder George Wimpey & Co. Ltd. St Oswald 1957-8. St Chad 1958. St John the Divine 1955-7. Churches to seat 250, halls to seat 100, vicarages adjoining. Cost £50,000 for the three.
Source: Coventry New Architecture, G Lewison & R Billingham 1969.