St John the Baptist Church, Rochdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
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| St John the Baptist Church | |
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| 53°36′41″N 2°09′18″W / 53.6113°N 2.1549°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 89851 12760 |
| Location | Rochdale, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Parish of St Gabriel and the Angels and St John the Baptist |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 15 September 1998 |
| Architect(s) | Henry Oswald Hill and Ernest Bower Norris |
| Style | Byzantine Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1925 |
| Completed | 1927 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Gabriel and the Angels and St John the Baptist |
| Deanery | St Thérèse of Lisieux |
| Diocese | Salford |
| Province | Liverpool |
St John the Baptist Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Rochdale, a town in Greater Manchester, England. It's a special building that serves as a local parish church. The church was first started in 1830, but the building you see today was finished in 1927.
You can find it in the town centre, right across from the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum. The church is famous for its unique Byzantine Revival style, which makes it look like old churches from the Byzantine Empire. It's also a "Grade II* listed building," meaning it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
History of the Church
Early Beginnings
The story of the Catholic community in Rochdale began in 1824. That's when a Catholic priest, Father William Turner, came to live in the town. He later became a bishop.
At first, church services, called Mass, were held in a room inside a warehouse. This warehouse was on Clegg Street. In 1829, the first St John's Church building was completed and opened on Ann Street.
Father Turner was the priest there until 1835. He then moved to St Chad's Church in Cheetham Hill. Another priest, Father Dowling, took his place. In 1860, the first church was replaced with a new one made of brick.
Father Dowling passed away in 1871. He was replaced by a dean, Father O'Neill. As Rochdale grew in the late 1800s, more Catholic churches and missions started in the areas nearby. From 1898 to 1937, Canon Henry Chipp was the priest at St John the Baptist Church.
Building the New Church
Canon Chipp wanted a much bigger church to replace the brick one. He dreamed of a church that would look like the famous Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. The main architect for the new St John the Baptist Church was Henry Oswald Hill. He was related to Charles Joseph Gadd, who was an important leader in the Salford diocese.
The design of the church was inspired by other grand churches. These included Westminster Cathedral in London, designed by John Francis Bentley. Sadly, Henry Oswald Hill was killed in action during World War I in 1917. He was a captain flying for the Royal Flying Corps. Even so, his designs for St John's Church were used.
Hill had also designed several other churches before this one. These include St Teresa's Church in Irlam (1900) and St Joseph's Church in Heywood (1913).
After Hill's death, Henry Thomas Sandy took over his architectural company in 1918. In 1920, Ernest Bower Norris joined the company. When Sandy passed away in 1922, Norris ran the firm. St John's Church was the first time Norris had built a church in the Byzantine style.
The church was built between 1925 and 1927. The first plans for the church included a bell tower, but this was never built. From 1930 to 1933, a beautiful mosaic was created in the sanctuary area. This mosaic cost £4000 and was made by skilled artists in Manchester. Its main theme is eternal life.
In 1966, a presbytery (a house for the priests) was built next to the church. Later, in 1998, a new residence was added. This involved taking down the old presbytery and part of the church's east side.
The Parish Today
St John the Baptist Church is part of a larger parish. A parish is like a local church community. This parish is called the Parish of St Gabriel and the Angels and St John the Baptist. It includes St John the Baptist Church and St Gabriel and the Angels Church in Castleton, Greater Manchester.
St Gabriel and the Angels Church started as a mission from St John the Baptist Church in 1879. A building with a chapel and school was built in 1884. In 1894, a presbytery was added there too. As more Catholics moved to the area, a larger church was needed. In 1951, an old cinema was bought and changed into the current St Gabriel and the Angels Church.
Today, St John the Baptist Church holds a Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM. St Gabriel and the Angels Church has its Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM.
See also
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford
- Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Rochdale
