Parish History
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The Tunstall mission started from Cobridge in 1853, in a dual purpose school/chapel dedicated to St Mary, a new church was built in 1869 and remained in use until 1930, when the present church was opened by Archbishop Downey of Liverpool, describing the building as ‘a miracle of beauty’.

The architect, JS Brocklesby also designed the nearby St Joseph’s, Burslem, as well as St Oswald & St Edmund, Ashton-in Makerfield, but was said to have been dismissed by the Parish Priest Fr PJ Ryan, who continued as clerk of works himself, using unemployed parishioners on the building. Much of the stained glass and woodcarving was created by young parishioners under the guidance of Gordon Forsyth, Director of the Burslem School of Art. The church was built on a raft foundation to avoid the danger of subsidence.

The interior is Romanesque and includes items bought abroad by Fr Ryan. The body of the church consists of three bays, each covered by a dome. There are a series of chapels with rich altars, one has a particularly striking nearly life-size Pietà. In addition, the font and pulpit in Derbyshire stone, are notable features. The church was reordered in 1974.

Fr PJ Ryan

Lady Chapel Window