A plain interwar church, intended as the church hall for a projected church (unexecuted). It was built in the garden behind Spring Hill, a Georgian mill owner’s villa which temporarily served as the chapel and then as presbytery, until its sale by the diocese.

In 1895, a chapel of ease was established in St Thomas’s School (built in 1876-7). In 1929, Monsignor Tynan bought Spring Hill, a large mill-owner’s villa in Manchester Road, as a site for a new church and school. A mission was established and services were held in a small chapel in the house. In 1932, the parish was established. In 1936, a new church was built adjacent to the house for about £3,000. The architect was Richard Byrom of Bury, and the contractors were Messrs Mullen & Durkin of Burnley. The church was opened by Bishop Henshaw on 29 November 1936. Spring Hill was then used as the presbytery until its sale about twenty years ago, when a new presbytery was built.

Originally, a more ornate church was intended to be built, when the present church would have become the parish hall. However, nothing came of this. In 2006, a new organ was installed.

Description

The church faces southeast. The following description uses conventional liturgical orientation.

The church is built of Accrington brick laid in stretcher bond, with tile details. The pitched roof is of slate. The plan is rectangular, with a sacristy and a boiler house at the east. The main entrance is at the northwest. The south elevation has six metal-framed windows between brick wall strips. The west and east elevations have slightly projecting centre bays. There is a Venetian window to the west.

Inside, the church consists of a single unaisled space. The roof is timber-panelled. The Gothic carved timber altar and reredos are original. As part of the post-Vatican reordering, the altar was moved forward and the reredos placed on a sympathetically-designed new support. Above the sanctuary hangs a modern Christ the King crucifix. Near the southwest corner is a large statue of Christ the King, given in memory of Albert Whittaker (died 1942), placed in front of timber Gothic panelling. At the southeast corner are an octagonal timber font and a statue of Our Lady (in memory of Christopher Flaherty, who died in India in 1942).

Heritage Details