St Mary's Church, Wigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| St Mary's Church, Standishgate | |
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Church entrance
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| 53°33′01″N 2°37′39″W / 53.5503°N 2.6276°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD5851306150 |
| Location | Wigan, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founder(s) | Fr Charles Middlehurst |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 24 October 1951 |
| Architectural type | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 17 March 1818 |
| Completed | 27 January 1819 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary and St John |
| Deanery | Wigan |
| Archdiocese | Liverpool |
St Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church in the Standishgate area of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It was built in 1818. This church is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is very important. It is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. Interestingly, it is very close to another Catholic church, St John's Church. They were built around the same time, almost like a friendly competition.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
Building the Church
The first stone for St Mary's Church was laid on March 17, 1818. Less than a year later, on January 27, 1819, the church officially opened its doors.
At first, a priest from St Mary's Church in Manchester served this church. It was sometimes called The Hidden Gem. In 1850, the Catholic Church in England was reorganized. After this, St Mary's Church in Wigan became part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
Church Expansions
The number of Catholic people in the area grew. Because of this, the church needed to be made bigger. It was extended and reopened on October 19, 1851. Important church leaders, like the Bishop of Liverpool, George Brown, were there. A new Lady Chapel was also opened a couple of weeks later.
In 1859, a priest named Fr Gerard O’Reilly became the Rector of the church. During his time, the church's organ was rebuilt in 1861. New pews, which are the long benches for people to sit on, were put in during 1867.
In 1933, the Society of Jesus handed over the nearby St John's Church to the archdiocese. From that time on, St Mary's and St John's churches began to work together.
Church Services and Parish Life
St Mary's Church holds two Sunday Masses. One is at 9:00 AM and the other is at 4:30 PM. These times are chosen so they do not clash with the services at St John's Church next door.
For several years, St Mary's Church and St John's Church were part of one large parish. However, in 2017, the Wigan area was reorganized. St Mary's became a single-church parish again. St John's Church then formed a new parish with St Patrick's Church.
See also
- Listed buildings in Wigan
