Memorial

Votive Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes

The Thanksgiving Shrine

Source: Copyright Mike Coyle

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Current Location

Close to Victoria Hospital, Blackpool, Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Whinney Heys Road, Blackpool, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 8NP, England

OS Grid Reference

SD 332 368

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Names listed on this memorial

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Memorial Details

Type of Memorial: Chapel or Church: Freestanding building
WMR Reference Number: 72248
Description: This is a grade II listed building built in thanksgiving to commemorate the fact that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster emerged relatively unscathed from WW2. Blackpool was chosen as being centrally located within the Diocese. The building is of white Portland stone.
Inscription: Commemoration stone on the exterior of the building, in Latin: DEO OMNIPOTENTI IN HONOREM BEATAE MARIAE VIRGINIS IMMACULATAE DE LA PUR DI. QUAE PER DIES GRASSANTIS BELLI ECCLESIAS HUIUS DIOECESIS ET FIDELES INCLUMES BENIGNISSIMA SERVAVIT TUTELA. HUNC LAPIDEM GRATO POSUIT ANIMO THOMAS EDUARDUS EPISCOPUS LANCASTRENSIS DIE VIII SEPT MCMLV Translated as: ‘By Almighty God in Honour of the pure Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate. This diocese and faith remained safe from raging war. This stone laid by Thomas Edward, Bishop of Lancaster on 8 Sept 1955’

Commemoration

War: Second World War (1939-1945)

History

Maintenance History: The Shrine of our Lady of Lourdes was built as a war memorial thanksgiving chapel between 1955 and 1957. It was designed by Francis Xavier Velarde (1897-1960) and its construction was funded by contributions from local parishes. According to Wikipedia: The shrine was deconsecrated in 1993, and passed into the ownership of the Historic Chapels Trust a secular charity, in 2000 in a poor state and without an endowment. A £100,000 grant awarded by English Heritage assisted with urgent rescue repairs, completed in April 2008, dealing with the leaking copper roof and improving the rainwater disposal system.

Conservation

Custodian: Historic Chapels Trust

Components

Church

Made from: Stone - Portland

Condition: Good

Historic England

Grade: II*

List Entry: 1387319

War MemorialsRegister

Votive Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes

Current Location

OS Grid Reference

Names listed on this memorial

Contribute to the War Memorials Register

Memorial Details

Commemoration

History

Conservation

Components

Further Information

Votive Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes

Current Location

OS Grid Reference

Names listed on this memorial

Contribute to the War Memorials Register

Memorial Details

Commemoration

History

Conservation

Components

Further Information