Dominican Priory of the Annunciation, Woodchester, Gloucestershire

Description

The Dominican priory of the Annunciation, erected about 1850, is a large building of stone, in the Gothic style: the attached mission church, erected at a cost of £9,000 by the late William Leigh esq. of Woodchester Park, is a fine building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, chapel, or chantry, and a turret with spire about 120 feet high, containing 3 bells: the entire building is elaborately decorated, the high altar, reredos and screen being beautifully carved, and there are several fine stained windows: over the chancel arch is a large painting of "The Last Judgment," by Henry Doyle esq. and the church also contains a tomb of alabaster, with recumbent effigy, to William Leigh esq. the founder, executed by Mr. Richard Boulton, of Cheltenham, and another effigy of stone to Archbishop Nicholson, bishop of Corfu, who died whilst on a visit to Mr. Leigh, and who was interred in this church: arranged round the walls of the aisles are fourteen carved stone groups representing the stations of the Cross: there is a cemetery adjoining the church.