Millway, Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation

Church and presbytery 1953. The architect was Robert Burke of Newcastle. He also designed Our Lady and St. Wilfred's Roman Catholic Church on Sunderland Road, Gateshead and Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church in Lobley Hill. Red machine-cut brick and concrete with sandstone window mouldings and cast iron drainpipes and rainwater heads. The roof of the presbytery is slate. The shallow pitched roof of the church has been re-roofed in felt. Ground floor windows are rectangular. First floor windows are round-headed arched windows. All are leaded, in timber frames. The north porch is built of whitewashed concrete breeze blocks. The double doors are set into an arched surround. A cast concrete cross is set on the ridge of the porch. 'OUR LADY OF THE ANNUNCIATION' is set out in metal letters. There are two semi-circular windows to either side of the porch. The eastern porch contains one round-arched timber door set in a cast concrete arch surround. There is a stone cross set on the roof ridge. The use of cast concrete for internal fittings is a feature of 'brutalist' architectural style. Interior - the nave is flanked by two aisles demarcated by two rows of five columns. The roof is shallow pitched with five exposed concrete beams. The fone is built of cast concrete blocks with a wood lined bowl. The High Altar is formed of cast concrete blocks painted white. Behind the altar is wood panelling with gold-painted mouldings of cherub's faces. On the east wall an arched door leads into the sacristy. A gallery is accessed by a flight of steps from the north porch. The church went of use in 2012. Due for demolition in 2013. LOCAL LIST