A pair of Ionic columns support the east end of the church with the marble high altar and the gilded golden tabernacle in the centre. The tabernacle is an exact replica of the one in the chapel of the Blessed Sacrement in St Peter's in Rome. The statue to the left of the altar is of St Peter and St Joseph is on the right. This Catholic Church dedicated to St Francis Xavier, the greatest Jesuit missionery, and was opened in August 1839. The building is an example of the Doric order of Grecian architecture. It was successfully restored and redecorated over a period of time from 1998 to 2003. Financial support was gained from English Heritage and the National Lottery fund as well as from funds raised by the Friends of the Church. Pillars and walls are decorated giving a convincing illusion of reality of marble using the technique of trompe l' oeil decoration. A deception of the eye.
