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 | United Kingdom |
| 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 located in Edgeley, a part of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It was built between 1903 and 1905. This church replaced an older one called St Philip and St James Church, which was built in 1803. The older church was the first permanent Catholic church in Stockport after the English Reformation.
The church stands at the corner of Shaw Heath and Greek Street. It is south-west of Stockport College and south of Stockport railway station. The building was designed in the Gothic Revival style by the architect Edmund Kirby. It is recognized as a Grade II listed building, meaning it is an important historical structure.
Contents
History of the Church
Starting the Mission
In 1776, a place of worship called St Chad's Chapel opened in Manchester. A priest from there would travel to Sutton to serve Catholic groups in Macclesfield and Stockport. Later, in 1794, St Mary's Church, Mulberry Street opened in Manchester. This church became the main place for priests serving Catholics in and around the city.
Priests from St Mary's Church began collecting money to start a Catholic mission (a place to spread the faith) in Stockport. On May 1, 1798, they rented a house on Windmill Street in Stockport. This house opened for Mass on July 22, 1798. Starting in 1801, the mission's priest, Father James Blundell, worked to raise money for a permanent church building.
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, who was a curate (an assistant priest) at St Mary's Church, Mulberry Street. The church officially opened on May 1, 1803. Father Rowland Broomhead, the parish priest (main priest) of St Mary's Church, led the first Mass there.
The bricks used to build this church were actually made right on the building site. By the 1830s, more and more people were joining the church. Because of this, the church needed to be made bigger. A tower, side galleries, and a larger vestry (a room for priests to prepare) were added. The enlarged church reopened on September 23, 1832. From 1845, priests from St Philip and St James Church started another mission in the town center. This mission later became St Joseph's Church.
Building the New Church
As the number of Catholic people grew, a much larger church was needed. So, Our Lady of 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 part of Our Lady and the Apostles Church looks similar to Sacred Heart Church in Chorley, which Kirby also designed in 1894.
The beautiful stained-glass windows in the church are thought to have been made by Margaret Agnes Rope. In 1925, the sanctuary (the area around the altar) was changed. It was redesigned to be a special memorial for those who served in the First World War. Later, in 1989, the sanctuary was updated again to fit with newer church practices.
The Church Organ
Our Lady and the Apostles Church has a large pipe organ. It has three keyboards and 49 different sounds, made by 2,088 pipes! The organ was first built by local organ makers Hardy & Son. Back then, it only had two keyboards.
In 1955, a company from Manchester called Jardine & Co rebuilt the organ. They made it much bigger and added more parts. Then, in 1985, George Sixsmith, another organ builder, made more changes. They rebuilt the choir organ section and added some new pipes. Even with these changes, the organ is still mostly like it was after the 1955 rebuild.
See also
- Listed buildings in Stockport
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
- The Hidden Gem
