St Columba's Church, Chester facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Columba's Church
Church entrance
Location	Newton, Chester
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	StColumbaChester.WordPress.com
History
Status	Active
Founder(s)	Canon Francis Murphy
Dedication	Saint Columba
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Architect(s)	Francis Prichard
Groundbreaking	6 September 1964
Completed	19 February 1966
Administration
Deanery	North Cheshire
Diocese	Shrewsbury
Province	Birmingham

St Columba's is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Newton, Chester. It was built from 1964 to 1965. It is situated on the corner of Plas Newton Lane and Newhall Road in the suburbs, north of the city centre. The 'Taking Stock' project, a partnership between the Patrimony Committee of the Bishops’ Conference, English Heritage and individual catholic dioceses, described the church as 'a strikingly modern church in a distinctive style'.

History

Construction

In the late 1950s, a priest from St Werburgh's Church in Chester, Canon Francis Murphy, came to Newton and started raising funds to build a new church for the local Catholic population. On 6 September 1964, he laid the foundation stone for the church. It was designed by Francis Prichard (1919 – 2008). He was an ecclesiastical architect and was also the Mayor of Crosby. The first Mass was said in the church on 19 December 1965. On 19 February 1966, the church was officially opened by William Grasar, Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury.

Parish Hall

In 1978, the parish hall was also opened by Bishop Glaser. It was built by the Manpower Services Commission. In 2012, it hosted the Annual General Meeting of the British Heart Foundation.