The town of Scunthorpe grew from five small villages when steel making began in the mid C19th. There was a massive building project in Old Brumby between the wars and St Hugh’s Church was built to serve this growing population.
Built in 1939, it is a tall rather spartan building with a short tower. It is a local landmark, dominating the busy road Junction at Brumby Corner. British Listed Buildings website describes it as “an architecturally significant and highly original Inter-War church designed by a prominent local architect, Lawrence Bond, which has not been altered and which retains almost all of its original fittings.”
The shell is reinforced concrete which has been covered with pale brick and a steep pantiled roof. The short rectangular tower is topped by a weather vane of a swan. The church is dedicated to St Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln. The swan arrived on the day of his enthronement and was adopted as a pet by St Hugh. The swan followed St Hugh around and guarded him as he slept. Above the south door is a statue of St Hugh.
Entry is through the west door with its rather stark concrete portico and statue of the crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and St John. Above is an eight pointed star window.
Inside it is a huge church with a very high ceiling and continuous nave and chancel. Just inside the door is the plain stone font with a very tall open wood cover.
At the east end is the original plain stone altar reached up a short flight of stone steps. This has a simple altar cloth with the Lamb of God. Above is a red wall hanging from a stone canopy. The limed oak choir stalls have now been turned to face the congregation and there is a new small wooden altar.
The narrow south aisle ends in the Lady Chapel. Above the altar is a modern wall hanging of the crucifixion.
The church is kept locked although the clergy are willing to open it to visitors. The pictures were taken after the 8am communion service on a very dull October day.
The church is on Ashby Road at the junction of West Common Lane and Old Brumby Street. The post code of the church is DN16 2AG and the grid reference is SE 891096. There is parking in the church grounds and also by the shops at Brumby Corner.
There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/churches/england/lincolnshire/lincolnshire_four/scunthorpe_hugh/index.html
