There have been Catholics in Radcliffe for hundreds of years! Before the Reformation we worshipped at the still standing Saint Mary’s Parish Church (now Church of England). Apart from rumours and whispers of hidden Masses and visiting missionary priests in the centuries following, it is not until 1863 that we can take up the story again, and learn about more than 150 years of Roman Catholicism in our town!
Catholicism in Radcliffe dates back hundreds of years, even beyond the Radclyffe family who were the original owners of the local manor, Radcliffe Tower, located near Close Park and who worshipped at the ancient Parish Church of St Mary. During the Reformation public demonstration of the faith all but disappeared from the town. However, Catholic emancipation in 1829 led to the founding of the Salford Diocese 21 years later; and, swelled by large numbers of Irish immigrants, new parishes began to spring up around the region.
During the early 1860s, come rain or shine, many Radcliffe residents could be seen making their way up Stand Lane to Chapelfield, to await the arrival of a visiting priest from Bury or Ramsbottom.
Reverend William Scheides would ride over the hills on horseback, an imposing figure with his black cassock flapping around his ankles in the wind. The upper room of a borrowed stable was the venue for Mass for the assembled crowd, made up of mill workers, farm labourers and miners.
In 1863 Reverend Malachy OCallaghan arrived in Radcliffe to become the first resident priest, and officially found the parish of St Marys. He set up two new places of worship, one in Mount Sion Street and later in 1865, he bought a disused Methodist Chapel in Mow Brow (Church Street) to celebrate Mass. It took 4 years for the parishioners to raise £100 towards the £440 cost of purchasing the chapel, despite being in receipt of some money from the Poor and New Missions diocesan fund. By 1872, when the next priest, Fr. Gerrard arrived, there were 770 parishioners, and 30 baptisms had been carried out that year. In order to accommodate the growing number of children and educate them in the Faith, it was decided to open a day school in Sugar Lane (off Stand Lane) and 51 children registered that year.
The parish continued to expand and by 1876 the congregation had increased to 1012, and 142 children were on the school register. Meetings were held and it was agreed to build new premises, which would combine a school and a place of worship for the Catholics of Radcliffe. A plot of land at the corner of School Street and Victoria Street was acquired from the Earl of Wilton on a 999 year lease, at an annual ground rent of two shillings. The chapel was opened on Sunday 24th March 1878 by Bishop Vaughan (later Cardinal) and the final cost of the whole building was the princely sum of £2,000.
