St Mary's Church, Great Yarmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary Church |
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| Location | Great Yarmouth |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | StMarysGY.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founder(s) | Society of Jesus |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Architect(s) | Joseph John Scoles |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1848 |
| Completed | September 1850 |
| Construction cost | £10,000 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Coastal |
| Diocese | East Anglia |
| Province | Westminster |
St Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. You can find it on Regent Road, right in the middle of town. The Society of Jesus, a group of priests, first built this church in the late 1840s. Today, the Diocese of East Anglia manages it. A famous architect named Joseph John Scoles designed the church. He also designed another St Mary's church in Great Yarmouth. This church is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important historically.
Contents
A Look at St Mary's History
How St Mary's Church Started
In 1824, a group called the Society of Jesus began a mission in Great Yarmouth. This was to serve the local Catholic community. A priest named Fr Tate led this early effort. He bought a house and a warehouse for people to gather and worship.
By 1841, the number of people attending had grown too large. They needed a bigger space. Fr Lopez, who took over from Fr Tate, bought the land for the new St Mary's Church. Construction on the church began in 1848.
Building the Church
The church was finished two years later, in 1850. The Bishop of Northampton, William Wareing, officially opened it on September 24, 1850. The architect, Joseph John Scoles, designed many churches for the Jesuits. Some of his other works include the Immaculate Conception Church, Farm Street in London and St Francis Xavier Church in Liverpool.
In Great Yarmouth, Scoles also designed the Bure Bridge in 1829. He designed another church in Southtown in 1831, which is also named St Mary's. Even though the Bure Bridge had problems in 1845, Scoles was still asked to design St Mary's Church. In 1962, the Jesuits left Great Yarmouth. They handed the church over to the Diocese of East Anglia.
Inside the Church
St Mary's Church has beautiful stained glass windows. Some were made by Franz Mayer & Co. in 1860 and 1890. Others were made by Hardman & Co. in Birmingham in the 1850s. The church also has a large organ. It was installed in the 1800s and has 1032 pipes.
Recent Events
In March 2018, the church experienced some damage. Despite this, the church remained open for the Easter weekend. The altar was rededicated on May 31, 2018.
The Parish Community
The St Mary's parish includes another church nearby. This is St Ignatius of Loyola Church in Caister-on-Sea. It was built in the 1960s. The diocese bought the land in 1965. They hired architects Wearing & Hastings to design it. The church was finished two years later. It was named after the founder of the Jesuits. This was to thank them for their work in the area.
The parish works closely with St Mary's Primary School. This school was first started for children from local Catholic families. Now, it welcomes children from all backgrounds and faiths. St Mary's Church is the main Catholic church for Great Yarmouth. It holds Masses on Saturday at 10:00 AM and on Sunday at 11:00 AM.
See also
- Diocese of East Anglia
