Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, Preston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids English Martyrs Church |
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| Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, Preston | |
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| OS grid reference | SD5367730545 |
| Location | Preston, Lancashire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | EnglishMartyrsPreston.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | January 22, 1865 |
| Founder(s) | Bishop Alexander Goss |
| Dedication | St Thomas Becket and the English Martyrs |
| Dedicated | 1 December 1867 |
| Consecrated | 14 September 1921 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 2 September 1985 |
| Architect(s) | Edward Welby Pugin |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 26 May 1866 |
| Completed | 9 February 1888 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 850 |
| Length | 154 ft (47 m) |
| Width | 92 ft (28 m) |
| Height | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Preston |
| Diocese | Lancaster |
| Province | Liverpool |
The English Martyrs Church, also known as The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, is a Roman Catholic church in Preston, Lancashire. It was designed by Edward Welby Pugin. The church is managed by the Diocese of Lancaster. You can find it near Preston city centre, on the corner of the A6, between Aqueduct Street and St George's Road. Since 2017, priests from the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest have looked after the church.
Contents
History of the Church
Gallows Hill: A Historic Spot
The English Martyrs Church stands on a place once called Gallows Hill. This area got its name after the Battle of Preston in 1715. After the government won against a rebel army, some of the rebel prisoners were executed here. Records from January 5, 1715, show that sixteen rebels were executed on Gallows Hill for serious crimes against the government.
Wren's Cottage: The First Chapel
In 1864, the English Martyrs mission began. At that time, the Diocese of Lancaster did not exist yet. The Bishop of Liverpool was in charge of Catholic churches in Preston. In 1864, Bishop Alexander Goss sent Father James Taylor to a house called Wren's Cottage.
This cottage was about a quarter of a mile north of where the church is today. The house became a home for the priest, and its stable was turned into a small chapel. The very first Mass was held there on Christmas Day, December 25, 1864. The chapel officially opened on January 22, 1865.
Building the Church
The chapel at Wren's Cottage was only temporary and could hold 145 people. As more people joined the church, plans were made to build a much larger church. It was decided that the new church would not be built on the cottage site. So, the city of Preston sold land near Gallows Hill for the new church.
On May 26, 1866, Bishop Goss laid the first stone for the church. It was designed by Edward Welby Pugin. He was the eldest son of the famous architect Augustus Pugin. The original plan included a tall spire, but there wasn't enough money to build it.
The church officially opened on December 1, 1867. Bishop Goss led the ceremony, with help from the Bishop of Nottingham, Richard Roskell.
Making the Church Bigger
In 1874, Father James Taylor left and Father Joseph A. Pyke took over. By 1886, Father Pyke became the church's rector. He quickly saw that the church needed to be bigger to fit the growing number of people. He asked Edward Welby Pugin again to design an extension.
The new plans added two more sections to the main part of the church (the nave and aisles). They also included a new area for the altar (chancel), two side sections (transepts), and extra chapels. There were also new confessionals and rooms for priests. A new entrance was planned from St. George's Road. The estimated cost for this expansion was about £8,000.
The first stone for these new parts was laid in 1887 by the Bishop of Liverpool, Bernard O'Reilly. The building work was completed in 1888.
On February 8, 1888, the church had a special re-opening ceremony. Many important church leaders attended. These included Bishop O'Reilly and several other bishops from different dioceses.
In 1902, Father Edward J. Pyke, Father Joseph Pyke's nephew, became the new rector. He worked hard to pay off the money the church owed from its construction and expansion. He also managed the church's affairs, the nearby Catholic schools, and oversaw the church's official consecration.
On September 14, 1921, the church was officially consecrated. This special ceremony was led by the Archbishop of Liverpool, Frederick Keating. Other bishops also helped with the service.
The Church in the 21st Century
In 2012, the house next to the church, called the presbytery, was sold. It was bought by L'Arche, a charity that helps people with learning disabilities. The furniture and paintings from the house were sold at an auction. This included old furniture from when the church was first built in the 1860s and 1880s. The auction also featured oil paintings of saints and religious scenes, and brass items.
On July 11, 2017, the Bishop of Lancaster, Michael Campbell, announced a change. The church and its parish would now be looked after by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. This group has also been managing St Walburge's Church in Preston since 2014.
Parish Life
Close to the church is English Martyrs Catholic Primary School. The school's main goal is to teach based on the values of Jesus Christ. The school works closely with the church and students often attend Masses there.
Since the new parish of St John XXIII was created, a special type of Mass called Latin Low Mass is held every day at midday. On Fridays, after Mass, there are prayers and devotions to the English Martyrs. Every Saturday at 10:00 AM, there is eucharistic adoration and confessions, followed by Latin Low Mass. On Sundays, Latin Low Mass is at 9:00 AM, followed by refreshments and social time.
See also
- Listed buildings in Preston, Lancashire
