St Joan of Arc's Church, Farnham
| St Joan of Arc Church, Farnham | |
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The church from the northwest
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| Coordinates: 51°12′40″N 0°47′21″W / 51.2111°N 0.7892°W | |
| OS grid reference | SU8467046460 |
| Location | Farnham, Surrey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | StJoanofArcFarnham.co.uk |
| History | |
| Founded | January 26, 1890 |
| Founder(s) | Fr Mathieu Gerin Fr Etienne Robo |
| Dedication | Saint Joan of Arc |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 3 June 2010 |
| Architect(s) | John Edward Dixon-Spain |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 23 May 1929 |
| Completed | 30 May 1930 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Guildford |
| Diocese | Arundel and Brighton |
| Province | Southwark |
St Joan of Arc Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Farnham, Surrey. It was founded in 1890 and built in its present location in 1929. It was decided that the Farnham church should be dedicated to St Joan of Arc because Farnham Castle was a residence of Cardinal Henry Beaufort who was present at her trial. It is a Romanesque Revival church and a Grade II listed building. It is situated between Tilford Road and Waverley Lane, south of Farnham Railway Station.
In 1888, a Fr Mathieu Gerin came from France to say Mass for the Catholics in Farnham. Originally, he did this in a temporary chapel in Frensham Place, a country house that became Edgeborough School.
By 1890, a larger place was needed to accommodate an increasing congregation. So Fr Gerin bought an old disused police station in Bear Lane, down hill from Farnham Castle. The top floor was turned into a church, dedicated to Saint Polycarp and the ground floor became a school. Soon the school outgrew its location and had to move next door.
In 1913, eight years after Fr Gerin retired, Fr Etienne Robo came to serve the local church. After World War One he returned from France in 1919. In 1922 he realised that a new church site had to be sought to accommodate the larger congregation.
Joan of Arc was canonized in 1920 and Fr Robo wanted a church dedicated to the saint in the town that was a principal residence of Cardinal Beaufort who presided at her trial in 1431, was present at her execution and ordered her ashes to be thrown into the River Seine.
In 1923, a site was bought at Tilford Road. It was originally a gravel and rubbish pit. In 1928, after the ground was levelled and made safe, work started on the new church.
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