St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Leigh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Joseph's Church |
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St Joseph's Church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Year consecrated | 1855 |
| Location | |
| Location | Bedford, Leigh, Greater Manchester, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Joseph Hansom |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1855, tower 1878 |
| Materials | Sandstone |
St Joseph's Church is a Roman Catholic church that is still used today. You can find it on Chapel Street in Leigh, England. It's part of the St Edmund Arrowsmith parish. This church is also a special "Grade II listed building", which means it's protected because of its important history and beautiful design.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
For many years after the Reformation, when the Church of England separated from the Catholic Church, some families in Leigh secretly continued to practice their Catholic faith. They would hold Mass (their church service) in hidden places like Bedford Hall. A priest named Ambrose Barlow even served the area while living nearby.
Later, in 1678, Father John Penketh, a Jesuit priest, came to Bedford. He was even put in prison for his faith. In 1778, John Shaw built an old chapel, which is why the street is called Chapel Street today.
The current St Joseph's Church opened its doors on May 3, 1855. Father John Middlehurst helped raise money to build the main part of the church and the base of its tower. His successor, Father James Fanning, finished the tower in 1878. A famous poet named Gerard Manley Hopkins was also a priest here in 1879.
The Church's Design
St Joseph's Church was designed by Joseph Hansom in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like old medieval churches, but it was built in the 1800s. It was built in 1855 using strong stone and a roof made of slate tiles that look like fish scales.
The church has a wide main area called a nave. It also has a polygonal (many-sided) chancel (the area near the altar), and smaller chapels on its north and south sides. There's also a sacristy (where priests prepare), a porch, and a tall tower at the west end.
Outside the Church
The sides of the church have nine sections, each with strong buttresses (supports) and windows that have three lights (sections) with fancy stone patterns. The chancel also has beautiful windows.
The tower has three levels. It has angled buttresses and a round stair turret in one corner. Above the main arched door, there's a statue in a special niche. The top level of the tower has four tall, narrow lancet windows. Above these are openings for the belfry (where the bells are). The roof of the tower has a statue at the very top, with two pointed decorations called pinnacles on either side.
Inside the Church
The inside of St Joseph's Church is quite amazing! It's a very wide space, almost like a "preaching box," with a rounded apsidal chancel. The original wooden roof didn't work out, so slender cast iron columns were added. These columns have special tops that look like palm leaves. Iron arches and braces connect these columns, creating a beautiful arcade (a row of arches).
More to Explore
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Leigh, Greater Manchester
