Annunciation Church, Chesterfield

Annunciation Church
Annunciation Church Location in Derbyshire
Coordinates: 53°14′22″N 1°25′56″W / 53.2395°N 1.4321°W / 53.2395; -1.4321
OS grid reference	SK3799671541
Location	Chesterfield
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	Annunciation.org.uk
History
Founded	1854 (1854)
Founder(s)	Society of Jesus
Dedication	Annunciation
Architecture
Status	Active
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	26 September 1977
Architect(s)	Joseph Hansom
Administration
Deanery	Chesterfield
Diocese	Hallam
Province	Liverpool

Annunciation Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1854. Located in Spencer Street, near Saltergate and off-Newbold Road, it was designed by the architect Joseph Hansom and is a Grade II listed building.

In 1840, the Jesuits founded Mount St Mary's College in Spinkhill. From there they missioned to the local Catholics in the area. In the 1850s they decided to build a church in Chesterfield. Joseph Hansom was asked to design the church. He designed numerous churches for the Jesuits, such as Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph Church, Prescot, the St Walburge's Church, Preston, St Joseph's Church, Leigh, the Holy Name Church, Manchester and St Aloysius Gonzaga Church, Oxford.

The Jesuit influence is visible in the church in the window immediately before the entrance to the Sacristy. It shows a priest saying Mass before a group of Jesuits. Among those depicted are St Ignatius Loyola and St Francis Xavier.

In 1881, the current organ was installed, it was built by Henry Willis Senior of Henry Willis & Sons.

At some point in the early to mid-20th century the administration of the parish was handed over by the Jesuits to the Diocese of Nottingham. In 1980, Chesterfield and other parts of north Derbyshire became part of the then newly created Diocese of Hallam who continue to serve the parish.