Church of St Mary, Lowe House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary, Lowe House
South side of the church
53°27′26″N 2°44′25″W / 53.4571°N 2.7404°W / 53.4571; -2.7404
OS grid reference	SJ5093595844
Location	St Helens, Merseyside
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	https://www.stmaryslowehouse.org
History
Status	Active
Founded	1924 (1924)
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	11 September 1951
Architect(s)	Charles B. Powell
Administration
Parish	St Mary's and St. Thomas of Canterbury
Deanery	St Helens – St Monica Pastoral Area
Archdiocese	Liverpool
Province	Liverpool (aka Northern)

The Church of St Mary, Lowe House is a Roman Catholic church in St Helens, England. It's a special building that started being built in 1924. For many years, it was looked after by a group called the Jesuits. This church is so important that it's a Grade II listed building, meaning it's protected for its history and unique design. It mixes old styles like Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

History of the Church
Church Community
Gallery
See also

History of the Church

The foundation stone of the church.

How it Started

The church is called St Mary's Lowe House because it was built on land given by a woman named Winefred Eccleston. Her family's home was nearby on Cowley Hill. Winefred's family had a private Roman Catholic chapel at their old home, Eccleston Hall. But later owners closed it.

So, a new chapel was built and opened in 1793. People called it Lowe House. It became bigger three times over the years. The last time it was made larger was in 1857.

Building the New Church

More and more Catholic people were moving to St Helens. Because of this, a much bigger church was needed. Building started in 1924 right next to the old chapel. The old chapel was later taken down in 1930.

The first stone for the new church was placed by Frederick Keating, who was the Archbishop of Liverpool. This happened on May 11, 1924. A priest named Father Reginald Riley, who was a Jesuit, wanted the church to be very large. He was the main priest there from 1912 to 1946.

The church officially opened in 1929. It was designed by Charles B. Powell, an architect from Ireland. People in St Helens sometimes call it 'The Basilica of St Helens' or 'The Poor Man's Cathedral'. This is because local people gave money to build it during a time when many were struggling financially.

Cool Features of the Church

The church has a special dome that mixes Romanesque and Gothic styles. It sits where the main part of the church (the nave), the altar area (the sanctuary), and the side sections (the transepts) meet. On top of the dome is a copper cross that is 16 feet tall! A local builder's family gave this cross to the church.

The church also has a tall tower, about 130 feet high. It has a clock face decorated with gold mosaic.

The Carillon Bells

One of the most amazing parts of the clock tower is its historic Carillon. This is a set of bells that can be played like a musical instrument using a keyboard. It's different from regular church bells that are rung with ropes.

The Carillon at St Mary's Lowe House was made by a famous bell company called John Taylor & Co. It has 47 bells, making it the biggest Carillon in the North West of England! People play the Carillon regularly, and sometimes special musicians come to give concerts.

Church Community

Every Sunday, the church holds a Mass (a special church service) at 11:00 AM.

For a long time, the church was run by the Jesuits. But in 1980, the Jesuits announced they would no longer be in charge. So, in 1981, the church was handed over to the Archdiocese of Liverpool, which is the main Catholic group in the area.

In 2010, St Mary's Lowe House joined with another nearby church, Holy Cross and St Helen. They became one big parish. However, in 2014, things changed again. St Mary's Lowe House then teamed up with the parish of St Thomas of Canterbury. The Holy Cross & St Helen church went back to being its own parish.