Catholic Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith
Shrine and Parish Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith, Ashton-in-Makerfield

OS grid reference	SJ5756298889
Location	Ashton-in-Makerfield
Country	England
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith Parish
History
Status	Active
Dedication	St Oswald & St Edmund Arrowsmith
Relics held	Hand of St Edmund Arrowsmith
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	1988
Architect(s)	John Sydney Brocklesby
Style	Romanesque
Completed	1930
Administration
Deanery	Wigan
Archdiocese	Liverpool

The Catholic Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith is a special church in Ashton-in-Makerfield, England. It's a Roman Catholic church and is considered a very important building. This means it's protected because of its history and design. The church also holds a special place called a shrine for St Edmund Arrowsmith.

About the Church Building
- Cool Features of the Church
A Special Relic
Church Leaders (Parish Priests)
Gallery
See also

About the Church Building

The first church on this spot was built a long time ago, in 1822. That old church was taken down, and the new one started being built in 1925.

The church you see today was finished in 1930. It was designed by an architect named John Sydney Brocklesby. The church is built in a style called Romanesque, which looks a bit like old Roman buildings.

Cool Features of the Church

One of the most noticeable parts of the church is its bell tower. It has a green copper roof shaped like a pyramid. You can see this tower from far away when you drive into Ashton.

Inside the church, there are two round, shallow domes on the ceiling. There's also a special curved area at the back called an apse. The altar, which is a very important part of the church, has beautiful marble flooring and red carpets. Around the altar, there are seats for the altar servers. Behind the altar, you'll find the Tabernacle and eight candles. Above the altar, there are amazing stained glass windows. These windows show pictures of saints and were designed by an artist named Harry Clarke.

The house where the priest lives, called the presbytery, and the church gates were also built in 1822. They are also protected as important historical structures.

A Special Relic

This church is home to a very special holy item called a relic. It is the hand of St Edmund Arrowsmith. He was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, who were people who died for their faith a long time ago.