St Mary Immaculate, Bridgnorth
Client: St Mary’s Bridgnorth Restoration Trust
Project: Feasibility study for repair and reordering
Location: Bridgnorth
Status: Ongoing
Feasibility study for repair and reordering
The Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary Magdalene, designed by Thomas Telford in the 1790s, occupies a commanding position within the Bridgnorth Conservation Area. Built on the site of an earlier collegiate medieval church, it remains a much-valued spiritual and civic landmark — open daily and actively used for worship, concerts, and community activities.
Commissioned by St Mary’s Bridgnorth Restoration Trust, Oliver Architecture led a feasibility study to explore how the building might better support its congregation and broaden its role as a community venue. The study combined heritage sensitivity with strategic ambition, aiming to improve flexibility, accessibility, and environmental performance while safeguarding the church’s historic character.
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Key elements of the study included:
The project demonstrates how conservation-led design can help unlock new potential in historic places of worship, enabling them to serve contemporary needs without compromising their significance.
- Reordering of the nave and aisles, including removal of the decayed timber floor and fixed Victorian pews, to allow for a new breathable floor with underfloor heating and flexible seating.
- Improvements to energy performance, including proposals for secondary glazing, air source heat pumps, and discreet photovoltaic panels.
- Refurbished facilities to support wider use, including additional WCs and an improved kitchenette suitable for concerts and events.
- Enhanced interpretation and visitor engagement, with scope for interactive displays and a relocated retail area.
- Archaeological considerations, particularly in relation to the subfloor void and potential remains of the earlier medieval church.
The project demonstrates how conservation-led design can help unlock new potential in historic places of worship, enabling them to serve contemporary needs without compromising their significance.