St Mary's Church, Sunderland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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Church entrance
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| 54°54′30″N 1°22′58″W / 54.9082°N 1.3827°W | |
| OS grid reference | NZ 39678 57227 |
| Location | Sunderland |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 8 May 1950 |
| Architect(s) | Ignatius Bonomi |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1830 |
| Completed | 15 September 1835 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | St Bede, Sunderland |
| Diocese | Hexham and Newcastle |
| Province | Liverpool |
St Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church located right in the middle of Sunderland, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. You can find it at the corner of Bridge Street and St Mary's Way. This beautiful building is listed as Grade II, which means it's an important historical site.
The church was designed by a famous architect named Ignatius Bonomi. It was built between 1830 and 1835. St Mary's is the oldest church in Sunderland that still shows the Gothic Revival style.
Contents
The Story of St Mary's Church
Building the Church
In 1830, Ignatius Bonomi created the plans for St Mary's Church. He designed it to hold up to 1200 people. The church officially opened its doors on September 15, 1835. This opening was led by John Briggs, who was a very important church leader at the time.
By 1851, Sunderland's population had grown a lot. It was thought that over 4000 Catholic people lived in the city. To make space for everyone, two extra chapels were added to the church in 1852. Luckily, Bonomi had already planned for these additions in his first designs!
Later, in 1937, a large organ was brought into the church. It came from the Rex Theatre in South Shields. This organ was later fixed up and improved in 1992.
During World War II
St Mary's Church faced some tough times during World War II. In March and May of 1943, the church was hit and damaged by air raids. The main roof was badly hurt and had to be completely rebuilt. Also, most of the church's beautiful stained glass windows were destroyed.
After the war, in 1946 and 1947, new stained glass was installed. This new glass cost £1000 and was bought from a company in the Netherlands called Jansen & Co. This company also helped to redecorate the altars and the Stations of the Cross. On September 24, 1947, after all the repairs were finished, the church was officially blessed again by Joseph McCormack, the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle.
Changes and Updates
In 1982, the church was updated to fit new church practices. The pulpit (where sermons are given) and the altar rails were taken out. A new altar was brought in and moved closer to the people. The altar in the Lady Chapel was also removed, but the beautiful artwork of the Annunciation stayed.
During these changes, the Stations of the Cross were temporarily moved. Many statues were also taken out. The church was redecorated, and a new heating system was put in. A special entrance area, called a narthex, was also created. All these updates cost about £130,000. On April 16, 1982, the new altar was blessed by Bishop Owen Swindlehurst. The church was repaired and redecorated again between 2002 and 2003.
Church Services
St Mary's Church holds two Masses every Sunday. These services take place at 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM.
See also
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
