Hendon, Suffolk Street, Church of St. Ignatius

Parish church. 1887-9 by C Hodgson Fowler. Paid for by Bishop Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham. Site bought with voluntary contributions from the people of Hendon. Ashlar with Lakeland slate roof with stone gable copings, cross finials and spire. Early English style. Chancel with north vestry and meeting room and south chapel. Aisled nave with south-west tower.
Exterior – lancet windows. 4-stage tower has boarded door with elaborate hinges in a surround with ball-flower-stopped dripmould. Polygonal stair turret with stone roof.
West elevation has WW1 war memorial panel and cross in low relief.
Interior – Arches on quatrefoil piers. King post roof. Sanctuary has full-height richly-carved reredos of 1901 with crucifix and many statues including Old Testament prophets, apostles and Northern saints. Models were made for the statues by a Mr Floyce, a Frenchman who was executed by Roddis of Birmingham. The statues were a gift from Bishop Lightfoot and are made of Bath stone.
Shafted chancel arch with inner arch on corbels. North chancel has organ arch at west. South Lady Chapel has rich furnishings including altar by Hicks and Charlewood, wrought-iron screens and communion rail. Plain wrought-iron pulpit on ashlar plinth. Scheme of stained glass drawn up by Rev. GF Brownie, Canon of St Paul’s, London and Bishop of Bristol. Includes richly coloured pictures of Anglo-Saxon saints and kings in aisles, east and west windows commemorate the life of Bishop Lightfoot. Foundation stone in south-west porch dated 25 October 1887.
The church was provided to meet the needs of one of the most crowded areas of Sunderland. LISTED GRADE 2