St John's Church, Wigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
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| St John's Church, Standishgate | |
Front entrance
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| 53°32′57″N 2°37′41″W / 53.5493°N 2.6280°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD5848906039 |
| Location | Wigan, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | StWilliamsParishWigan.com |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founder(s) | Fr Charles Brockholes SJ |
| Dedication | St John the Apostle |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Church building |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 24 October 1951 |
| Architect(s) | Joseph John Scoles (interior) |
| Architectural type | Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 27 January 1818 |
| Completed | 24 June 1819 |
| Construction cost | £9,000 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary and St John |
| Deanery | Wigan |
| Archdiocese | Liverpool |
St John's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Standishgate, Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is very close to another Catholic church, St Mary's. Both churches were built around the same time in 1819. St John's was first looked after by a group of priests called the Jesuits. Later, in 1933, the church was given to the Archdiocese of Liverpool. St John's Church is a special building, listed as Grade II*, meaning it's historically important. The beautiful inside part, called the sanctuary, was designed by an architect named Joseph John Scoles.
Contents
History of St John's Church
The Early Days
From 1623, the Jesuits divided England into areas for their work. One area covering Lancashire was called 'St John's'. This is how St John's Church got its name.
Father Charles Brockholes SJ was the first priest connected to the St John's mission. He joined the Jesuits in 1704 and came to Wigan in 1740. In Standishgate, he paid for a house to be built. This house had a chapel upstairs. It was located between Dicconson Street and Powell Street. Even today, the house has a secret hiding place for a priest, above a fireplace.
Building a New Church
By 1817, more and more Catholic people lived in Wigan. They needed a bigger place to worship. A piece of land behind the old chapel was chosen for the new church. The first stone was laid on January 27, 1818.
The church officially opened on June 24, 1819. It cost about £9,000 to build. The new church was large enough for 1,000 people. It was 120 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 50 feet high. There was also a special area for people in the organ gallery.
Over the next few decades, the church was made even better. In 1849, the inside of St John's was decorated again. This work cost £400.
In 1933, the Jesuits handed over the church to the Archdiocese of Liverpool. After this, priests from the diocese looked after both St John's and St Mary's churches.
St John's Parish Today
St John's Church holds two Sunday Masses, just like St Mary's church. The times are set so they don't clash with its neighbor. One Mass is on Saturday afternoon at 5:00 pm. The other is on Sunday morning at 11:00 am. Since 2018, St John's has been part of St William's parish.
See also
- Society of Jesus
- Listed buildings in Wigan
