Gorton Monastery facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Church and Friary of St Francis

Religion
Affiliation	Catholic (Franciscan Recollects)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Friary
Year consecrated	1872
Status	Secular events venue
Location
Location	Gorton, Manchester, England
Municipality	City of Manchester
Location in Greater Manchester
Architecture
Architect(s)	Edward Welby Pugin
Architectural style	High Victorian Gothic architecture
Groundbreaking	1866
Completed	1872
Construction cost	£8000
Specifications
Direction of façade	South
Length	180 feet (55 m)
Height (max)	230 feet (70 m)
Materials	Polychomatic brick, sandstone dressing

The Church and Friary of St Francis, known to many as Gorton Monastery, is a very old and important building in Gorton, Manchester, England. It used to be a home for Franciscan friars, who are a type of Catholic religious group. The famous Victorian architect Edward Welby Pugin designed it. It was built between 1866 and 1872.

Gorton Monastery is a great example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style brought back the look of medieval churches. The building stopped being used for church services in 1989. For many years, it was left empty and became run down. But after a big project to fix it up, it reopened in 2007. Now, it is used for different events like weddings and conferences.

History of Gorton Monastery
Architecture of Gorton Monastery
- Inside the Monastery
Images for kids
See also

History of Gorton Monastery

Building the Monastery (1861-1872)

In 1861, a church leader named Herbert Vaughan, who was the Bishop of Salford, invited a group of Franciscans from Belgium to Manchester. These Franciscans were part of a special branch called Recollects. They came to Gorton in December 1861 to start a new church and friary.

The friars began building in 1863. Most of the work was done by the friars themselves. One of the brothers even managed the building project.

Edward Welby Pugin was chosen to design the new monastery church. He was a well-known architect of his time. His father, Augustus Pugin, was also a famous architect. Augustus believed that the Gothic style was perfect for Catholic churches. Edward Welby Pugin had already designed two other large Catholic churches in Manchester. The first stone for Gorton Monastery was laid in 1866. The church was finished and officially opened in 1872.

A Time of Neglect (1989-2007)

The monastery stopped being used as a church in 1989. The building was then sold to a company that develops properties. This company removed many valuable items from inside the monastery. They took out wooden seats, oak doors, and even sculptures. A large pipe organ was sold for scrap metal.

However, the property company later went out of business. Their plan to turn the monastery into apartments was stopped. For many years, the monastery was left empty. It was damaged by people breaking in and taking things.

In 1997, Gorton Monastery was put on a special list. This list, created by the World Monuments Fund, names the 100 most endangered sites in the world. It was listed alongside famous places like Pompeii and the Taj Mahal. This showed how important it was to save the monastery.

Bringing the Monastery Back to Life

A group of people started a campaign to save Gorton Monastery. A charity called the Monastery of St Francis and Gorton Trust was set up. It was started by Elaine Griffiths and her husband Paul Griffiths. Paul had even been an altar boy at the monastery when he was young.

When the property company went bankrupt, the building was taken over by people who manage such situations. The campaigners bought the monastery in 1997 for just £1. This was a huge step towards saving it.

The trustees asked for money from different groups to help restore the monastery. These included the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage. Their first idea for an education and arts center was not approved. A second idea for a hotel was also turned down. Finally, a new plan to make it a place for events and weddings was successful. They got the money they needed in 2003.

The church and other monastery buildings went through a huge restoration project. It cost £6 million and was finished in June 2007. A separate company, The Monastery Manchester Ltd, was created. This company now runs the monastery for events like conferences, business meetings, and weddings. It also hosts community events.

In 2013, the volunteers who worked to save the monastery received a special award. It was the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. Later that year, in November 2013, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the monastery for lunch.

More work began in February 2016. A new "Welcome Wing" was built. This wing has spaces for education and community activities. More restoration work was also done on the altars and decorations. This project was made possible by a £1 million gift from Norman Stoller and £2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The new wing was built where an old building had been taken down in the 1960s.

In March 2017, a special service was held at Gorton Monastery. It was for Sir Gerald Kaufman, who was a Member of Parliament for the area. He had supported the monastery's restoration project. In 2021, the Manchester Camerata, a music group, made Gorton Monastery its new home.

Architecture of Gorton Monastery

Edward Welby Pugin designed the monastery church to be very tall and impressive. It is built with red and blue bricks, which gives it a colorful look. This style is called polychromatic. It also uses sandstone for details. The design was inspired by the late 13th-century Gothic style.

Most churches face east and west, but Gorton Monastery faces north and south. The north end has a rounded part called an apse. The south side, which faces the main street, is very fancy. It has many Gothic details that make it look tall. Three very large flying buttresses stick out from the building. These are supports that help hold up the walls. They have statues on top. There is also a large sculpted cross in the middle.

At the very top of the south side is a fancy bellcote with a small spire. Between the buttresses are two tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. These have detailed stone patterns called tracery. On either side of these are round rose windows. At ground level, there is a covered entrance area called a narthex. It has four pointed Gothic arches leading to two main doorways.

To the east of the church is a cloister. This is a covered walkway, usually around a courtyard. The main monastery building next to it is a simple, three-story brick building. It has windows with sliding sashes, chimneys, and another bellcote.

In 1963, Gorton Monastery was given a special status. It was named a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building that needs to be protected.

Inside the Monastery

The inside of the church is dominated by a long, open space called the nave. It has 13 sections, or bays, with walkways on the east and west sides called aisles. Each bay has tall, narrow lancet windows. At the north end is the chancel, which is the area around the altar. It gets light from large windows high in the roof. These windows are designed to shine light directly onto the high altar.

Behind the altar is a tall, decorated screen called a reredos. This was designed by the architect's half-brother, Peter Paul Pugin. The beautiful stained glass windows were created by Ralph Bolton Edmundson.

High up on the walls, between the nave sections, are 12 life-size statues. These statues are made of French limestone and show different Franciscan saints. When the church was left empty in the 1980s, many things were taken, including these statues.

However, a local historian saw them in a Sotheby's catalogue in 1994. They were listed as "garden ornaments"! Manchester City Council bought the statues. They were kept in storage for 16 years. Then, they were carefully fixed up over eight months. Finally, in 2012, they were lifted back into their original places in the nave.

The saints shown in the statues are: