St John the Evangelist
Workington, Cumbria
Designed by Philip Hardwicke and completed in 1823, the design is based in St Paul's in Covent Garden, with many internal design features referencing our patron St John the Evangelist.
Featured in Eleni Curti's book, Fifty Catholic Churches to Visit before you Die, this church with its vaulted ceiling and astonishing stained glass windows will take your breath away. The church is richly decorated with fine carved details, a set of alabaster reliefs from the 15th century originating from Jervaulx Abbey, and a unique set of carved choir stalls by Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson of Kilburn. Other features include the baptistery and the Grade II* listed Hill organ.
This church is a significant gem within Cumbria's patrimony and it is surrounded by peaceful gardens and some of the last remaining miners cottages, vestiges of Workington's industrial past.