St Benet's Church, Sunderland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Benet's Church |
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| 54°54′53″N 1°22′44″W / 54.91479°N 1.37884°W | |
| Location | Monkwearmouth, Sunderland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Website | WearCatholic.org |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Dedication | Benedict Biscop |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Dunn, Hansom & Dunn |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 28 July 1888 |
| Completed | 14 July 1889 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Monkwearmouth |
| Diocese | Hexham and Newcastle |
St Benet's Church is a Catholic church building in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. It was built in 1889. The church was designed by Archibald Matthias Dunn and Edward Joseph Hansom. You can find it on the corner of Thomas Street North and George Street North. It is about half a kilometre east of the Stadium of Light. From 1900 to 2011, a group of priests called the Redemptorists looked after the church. Now, priests from the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle serve the church again. When it was built, it was the first Catholic church in Sunderland north of the River Wear in the 1800s.
Contents
History of St Benet's Church
How the Church Started
In 1861, a priest named Fr George Dunn bought some land. This land was behind Roker Avenue. He planned to build a Catholic school and a small chapel there. This chapel became the main place of worship for local Catholics living north of the River Wear. In 1873, another priest, Fr Jules de Floer, arrived. He began the important work to build the larger church we see today. The architects chosen for the design were Dunn, Hansom & Dunn. This team included Archibald Matthias Dunn, his son Archibald Manuel Dunn, and Edward Joseph Hansom.
Building the Church
The first stone of the church was laid on July 28, 1888. Bishop Thomas Wilkinson blessed this special stone. The builders were from a company called T. Lumsden of Jarrow. The beautiful stone carvings inside the church were made by Richard Lockwood Boulton. Less than a year later, on July 14, 1889, the church officially opened. Bishop Wilkinson also opened the church.
In 1900, Bishop Wilkinson invited the Redemptorists to lead the church community. The house where the priests lived, called a presbytery, was between the school and the church. It was taken down. A new building, a monastery, was built in its place for the Redemptorist priests. This monastery was finished in 1902. It was built by George Hodgson of Sunderland. In 1909, new parts were added to the church. These included a new chancel (the area around the altar) and side chapels. The main altar was moved to this new chancel. A new sacristy (a room where priests prepare for services) was also added. This room connected the church to the monastery.
Changes Over Time
In 1916, during World War One, the church was damaged. Airships called Zeppelins attacked the area. All the church windows were broken. In 1925, a hall for the church community was added. On March 24, 1983, a new altar was blessed by Bishop Owen Swindlehurst. In 1993, a new, smaller community hall was built. The inside of the church was redecorated in 2003. In 2011, the Redemptorists left the church. Priests from the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle then returned to serve the church community.
St Hilda's Church
In 1902, while they were at St Benet's Church, the Redemptorists also built a school and a chapel. This was in a nearby area called Southwick, Sunderland. In 1908, the school was given to the diocese. Building work for St Hilda's Church began in 1908. On June 8, 1908, the first stone was laid by Bishop Richard Collins. A priest named Fr Smith placed a small piece of stone from Whitby Abbey on the church's foundation stone. The church opened in 1909. In 1912, the house for the priests, called a presbytery, was built. On May 9, 1985, the Fr Smith Parish Room was opened by Bishop Swindlehurst. On June 15, 2001, the church was officially blessed by Bishop Ambrose Griffiths.
Church Community
After the Redemptorists left St Benet's Church, one priest now serves three churches in Monkwearmouth. These churches are St Benet's Church, Sacred Heart and St John Bosco Church, and St Hilda's Church. Because one priest serves all three, the Sunday Mass times are different for each church. St Benet's Church has Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM. St Hilda's Church has Mass at 6:00 PM on Saturday. Sacred Heart and St John Bosco Church has Masses at 4:30 PM on Saturday and 9:30 AM on Sunday.
See also
