Catholic Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith |
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| Catholic Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith, Ashton-in-Makerfield | |
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| OS grid reference | SJ5756298889 |
| Location | Ashton-in-Makerfield |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith Parish |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St Oswald & St Edmund Arrowsmith |
| Relics held | Hand of Edmund Arrowsmith |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 1988 |
| Architect(s) | J. K. Brocklesby |
| Style | Romanesque |
| Completed | 1930 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Wigan |
| Archdiocese | Liverpool |
The Catholic Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith is a special church found on Liverpool Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Greater Manchester, England. It is a place where people gather to worship and learn about their faith.
Contents
The Church Building
A Look at the History
The very first Catholic church on this spot was built a long time ago, in 1822. Later, that old church was taken down to make way for a new, bigger one. The first stone for the new building was placed in 1925.
The church you see today was finished in 1930. It was designed by an architect named J. K. Brocklesby. The church is built in the Romanesque style, which means it looks like old Roman buildings, often with strong, rounded arches and thick walls.
Special Features of the Church
The bell tower, located on the right side of the front of the church, is easy to spot. It has a unique green copper pyramid roof. You can see it from far away when you drive into Ashton.
Inside the church, there are two round, shallow domes on the ceiling. There is also a curved area at the back called an apse. The main altar area has shiny marble flooring and four red carpets. There are also four seats on each side for the altar servers.
At the very back of the altar is the Tabernacle, where the Eucharist is kept. Eight candles glow around it. Above the altar, you can see beautiful stained glass windows. These windows show pictures of saints and were designed by an artist named Harry Clarke.
Other Important Parts
The house where the priest lives, called the presbytery, and the church gates are also very old. They were built in 1822, just like the first church. These parts are considered important historical buildings.
A famous expert on buildings, Nikolaus Pevsner, once described the church as "impressive."
A Holy Relic
What is a Relic?
A relic is a special object that is connected to a saint. It is kept and honored because it helps people remember the saint and their holy life.
The Hand of St Edmund Arrowsmith
This church is home to a very important relic: the hand of St Edmund Arrowsmith. He was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, a group of people who died for their Catholic faith a long time ago.
Parish Priests
These are some of the priests who have served at this church over the years:
- Canon James O'Meara (1896–1946)
- Fr John Joseph McLaughlin (1946–1950)
- Canon Robert Wilfrid Meagher (1950–1970)
- Canon Francis J Ripley (1970–1991)
- Fr Brian Newns (1991–2019)
- Fr John Gorman (2019–present)
See also
- Listed buildings in Ashton-in-Makerfield
