Our Lady and the Apostles Church, Stockport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady and the Apostles Church |
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View from Shaw Heath
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| 53°24′10″N 2°09′40″W / 53.4027°N 2.1612°W | |
| OS grid reference | SJ8937889550 |
| Location | Stockport, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Philip and St James Church |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Blessed Virgin Mary, Apostles |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 10 July 2009 |
| Architect(s) | Edmund Kirby |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1903 |
| Completed | 1905 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Stockport & Tameside |
| Diocese | Shrewsbury |
| Province | Birmingham |
Our Lady and the Apostles Church is a Roman Catholic church in Edgeley, a part of Stockport, England. It was built between 1903 and 1905. This church replaced an older one, St Philip and St James Church, which was built in 1803. That older church was the very first permanent Catholic church in Stockport after the English Reformation. The church is located on the corner of Shaw Heath and Greek Street. It was designed by the architect Edmund Kirby in the Gothic Revival style. This means it looks like old Gothic churches. It is also a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building.
Contents
History of the Church
How the Church Started
In 1776, a place called St Chad's Chapel opened in Manchester. A priest from there would travel to places like Macclesfield and Stockport. He would serve the Catholic people living in those areas. In 1794, St Mary's Church, Mulberry Street opened in Manchester. This church became the main place for priests serving Catholics nearby.
Priests from St Mary's Church started collecting money. They wanted to create a Catholic mission in Stockport. On May 1, 1798, they rented a house on Windmill Street in Stockport. This house opened for Mass on July 22, 1798. From 1801, the priest, Father James Blundell, began raising money. He wanted to build a permanent church.
The First Church: St Philip and St James
In 1802, the first stone for St Philip and St James Church was laid. This was done by Father Richard Thompson. On May 1, 1803, the church officially opened. Mass was celebrated by Father Rowland Broomhead. The bricks for this church were even made right there on the building site!
In the 1830s, more and more people joined the church. So, the building needed to be made bigger. They added a tower, side galleries, and a larger room for the priests' robes. On September 23, 1832, the church reopened after these changes. Later, in 1845, priests from St Philip and St James Church started another mission. This one was in the center of town. It eventually became St Joseph's Church, Stockport.
Building Our Lady and the Apostles Church
As the number of Catholic people grew, a much larger church was needed. So, Our Lady and the Apostles Church was built to replace the older St Philip and St James Church. The new church was completed in 1905. It was designed by the architect Edmund Kirby.
The front of this church looks similar to Sacred Heart Church in Chorley. Kirby had designed that church in 1894. The beautiful stained-glass windows in Our Lady and the Apostles Church are thought to be by Margaret Agnes Rope. In 1925, the sanctuary, which is the main area around the altar, was redesigned. It became a special memorial for those who served in the First World War. In 1989, the sanctuary was updated again. This was to follow new guidelines for Catholic churches.
The Church Organ
Our Lady and the Apostles Church has a very impressive pipe organ. It has three keyboards and 49 different sounds, called "speaking stops." It also has 2,088 pipes! The organ was first built by local builders Hardy & Son. It originally had two keyboards.
In 1955, a company from Manchester called Jardine & Co rebuilt the organ. They made it much bigger. Then, in 1985, George Sixsmith, another organ builder, made more changes. They rebuilt part of the organ and added new pipes. Most of the organ is still like it was after the 1955 rebuild.
Parish Information
The church holds Mass services regularly.
- Saturday (Vigil): 6:30 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM
- Tuesday: 9:30 AM
- Thursday: 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM
You can check their newsletter online for any changes: ourladyandtheapostles.co.uk.
More to Explore
- Listed buildings in Stockport
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
- The Hidden Gem
