SS Peter and Paul's Guide

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Guide to SS Peter and Paul's RC Church, Crosby near Liverpool

INTRODUCTION

The original church of SS. Peter and Paul was the first Catholic place of worship in Great Crosby and was erected in 1826. When it became too small to house a rapidly growing congregation, it was replaced by the present building in 1894. The centenary of this fine building which was celebrated on the May 20th 1994. The church was designed in Early English Gothic style by Messrs. Sinnot and Powell, and built by Mr. Samuel Webster of Bootle.

 

THE APPROACH

As you approach the entrance to the church, you will see to your left, a small burial ground where two bishops and six priests rest. They are:

May they rest in peace.

 

THE ENTRANCE

The main entrance to the church is of interest to students of local history and to anyone else with an eye for detail. As you enter the porch, look to your right, where you will see the display of newspapers, magazines etc. A closer look at the structure reveals the marks left by large hinge brackets, which once supported heavy doors. An even closer inspection of the outside of the building, reveals that the windows of the porch does not exactly match the other windows and was obviously added after the original building was completed.

An early plan of the church reveals that, in fact, the original entrance to the church was from the front and not the side as it is today. It is not known exactly when the change took place, but pictures of the church from 1906 show the window as it is today. The heavy door behind the notice board on the other side of the porch once led into the Baptistery (now the Piety Shop). Before entering the church, further evidence of heavier doors can be seen in the hinge brackets in the surround of the swing doors.

 

IN THE CHURCH

As you enter the church, be sure not to miss the six beautiful stained glass windows on your right; three on either side of the choir lofts staircase The first three are in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary and the next group depict St. Valerian, St. Cecilia and St. Tibertius.

The large wooden door in front of you was probably once used as the main entrance to the church

 

THE McKINLEY PLAQUE

To the left of this door can be seen a marble plaque erected to the memory of the McKinley family. It was Peter Mckinley's bequest of £6,600 that provided the money required to build the present church.

 

THE ORGAN AND CHOIR GALLERY

The choir organ gallery above was installed in 1905. The organ was originally housed in the gallery above the sacristy at the front of the church, and was rebuilt in its present position around 1960.

 

THE BAPTISTRY

Opposite the McKinley plaque, the white stone screens enclosing the former baptistry were the generous gift of James and Helen Carew, whose names are inscribed above the gateway. The baptistry is adorned with a little noticed statue of St. John the Baptist.

 

THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

 The Stations of the Cross were added to the church in 1897 and are unusual in that they are painted on metal. They are believed to have cost just £14 each. They are reputedly copied from originals that hung in St. John’s Hospital in Bruges, Belgium. The original paintings are by Hans Memling C1430-1494, one of the old Flemish Masters. He apparently painted them for the chapel of the hospital of the Gray sisters who treated him when he was wounded as a soldier. The original paintings are much smaller than those you see here.

 

THE CONFESSIONALS

The confessionals to your left were not in the original plans, and were probably added at a later date.

 

THE WALL CROSSES

As you walk towards the Lady Altar, notice the brass crosses and brackets on the walls around the church. These mark the places where the building was anointed during the consecration ceremony on the 12th September 1963. The brackets are to hold candles on each anniversary of the consecration.

 

THE LADY CHAPEL

To the left of the Lady Altar hangs a picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, which was originally the centre-piece above the Lady Altar. The Lady Altar was erected in October 1894, some five months after the opening of the church.

The first side window depicts St. James and is in memory of James O’Connor who died in Japan on 31st August 1882. The second window depicts St. Agnes and is in memory of Mary Agnes Torr, nee O’Connor who died on 21st July 1897.

The centre window above the altar depicts the Annunciation and Nativity and are in memory of Henry Buxton, who died on the 6th August 1868.

 

THE BAPTISMAL FONT

The baptismal font to the right of the Lady Altar was moved from the original Baptistry in 1985 when the church was re-ordered.

 

THE SANCTUARY

At the same time, the sanctuary was extended towards the congregation and the altar rails removed. Some of the altar rails were re-used to form a base for the tabernacle and the remainder placed to the sides.

The white altar table with black marble supports came from Notre Dame Convent Chapel, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool.

The magnificent pulpit was removed from the nave of the church in 1985 and incorporated in the newly designed sanctuary. A plaque on the side of the pulpit records that it was the design of Augustus Pugin and was erected in 1909. It was reputedly part of the original Pugin church of St. Mary which stood in Lumber Street, Liverpool, (on the site of Exchange Station).

The beautiful stone screens which divide the side altars from the sanctuary were erected C1912 in memory of Fr. John Nixon, who was Rector at the time of the opening of the present church.

The foundation stone laid in June 1892, probably before the original church (which stood further forward than the present building) was demolished, can be seen to the left of the tabernacle. To the right of the foundation stone can be seen a small cupboard set in the wall. This was formerly used to house the Holy Oils.

Little is known about the sanctuary windows, but imposing figures of St. Peter and St. Paul flank the central figure of Christ. Curiously, the writing beneath these three windows seems to be unfinished and may mean that they were originally housed elsewhere. It is known that the window on the right of the sanctuary represents three of the Sacraments, and that it is a portion of a the widow of the Seven Sacraments erected in the old church to the memory of Fr. William Brown the first Rector of SS Peter and Paul’s from 1826 to 1850.

 

More to come…..

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