St Mary the Virgin
Hull, Yorkshire
St Mary the Virgin, Lowgate, Hull, is an ancient church dating back to the early 14th century, although it is believed a chapel may have existed on the same site before this.
Its wonderfully colourful and decorative interior, inspired by the Austrian Rococo and the Italian Baroque, developed over most of the 19th century with an increasingly flamboyant vigour. It could not be guessed at from the rather sober and restrained facade that greets visitors on Jarratt Street.
Almost every surface is exuberantly embellished, dramatically lit by shafts of light from the upper windows and dome.
The altar depicts scenes from the life of St Charles Borromeo, the 16th century Archbishop of Milan; and a stunning painted and sculpted set piece above it, created by Heinrich Immenkamp, an Austrian craftsman living in Hull. It shows the then parish priest on his way to heaven at the Last Judgement.
