The Church of Our Lady and The First Martyrs was the first Church built in Great Britain with an Altar in the centre.

Completed in 1935, it preceded the restoration of the early principles of the Liturgy in the edicts of Vatican II, by twenty seven years.

Also celebrated in John Betjeman’s book on English Churches for its internal beauty, the building is now one the very few from the period of the 1930’s Listed Grade II by English Heritage.

The Client was Father John O’Connor, who was the real-life inspiration of the Author, G K Chesterton’s famous detective ‘Father Brown’.