Mount St Mary's Church
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Mount St Mary's Church or the Church of the Immaculate Virgin Mary is a Grade II* listed building and a redundant
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
in
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
,
West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...
, England. It was founded in 1851 and designed by
Joseph Hansom Joseph Aloysius Hansom (26 October 1803 – 29 June 1882) was a British architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style. He invented the Hansom cab and founded the eminent architectural journal ''Building (magazine), The Builder'' i ...
, with extensions by
Edward Pugin Edward Welby Pugin (11 March 1834 – 5 June 1875) was an English architect, the eldest son of architect Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and Louisa Barton. His father was an architect in the Gothic Revival style, and after his early death in 1 ...
. It is next to
Mount St Mary's Catholic High School, Leeds Mount Saint Mary's School is a Roman Catholic secondary school in Leeds, England. History Mount Saint Mary's School was founded in 1853 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Sisters Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Father Robert Cooke, O ...
. Part of the church was demolished in 2024 to make way for flats.


History


Foundation

In 1851, the
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest later recognized as a Catholic saint. The congregation wa ...
came to Leeds to start a mission to the local Catholics. They were persuaded to do so by a group of men from St Saviour's Church in Leeds, who had left the Anglican church and become Roman Catholics.Mount Saint Mary's Church
from Leeds Irish Historical and Cultural Society, retrieved 11 April 2014
There were already two Catholic churches in the city, St Anne's Church at one end and St Patrick's Church at the other. There was no church for the Richmond Hill area of the city and the Irish migrants living in the east of Leeds. Fr. Crowe OMI, the first priest of the mission, raised funds for acquiring a site for the church. It was also named the 'Famine Church' because it was built during the recovery of the Irish population from the
Great Irish Famine The Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger ( ), the Famine and the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland lasting from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a historical social crisis and had a major impact o ...
and was seen by the survivors as a sign of hope after the period of mass starvation.


Construction

On 24 May 1853, the foundation stone of the church was laid by the
Bishop of Beverley The Bishop of Beverley is a Church of England Provincial Episcopal Visitor. The title takes its name after the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Originally a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of York, the bishop's role wa ...
, John Briggs. The architect was
Joseph Hansom Joseph Aloysius Hansom (26 October 1803 – 29 June 1882) was a British architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style. He invented the Hansom cab and founded the eminent architectural journal ''Building (magazine), The Builder'' i ...
.
Leeds, Mount Saint Mary’s, 1851–1989
'' from
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest later recognized as a Catholic saint. The congregation wa ...
retrieved 11 April 2014
He also designed
Plymouth Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Boniface in Plymouth, England, is the seat of the Bishop of Plymouth and mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth, which covers the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. The Diocese ...
and the Church of St Walburge in Preston, both of which, like Mount St Mary's Church, are in the
Gothic Revival style Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...
. In the same year, Mount Saint Mary's School was founded next door to the church. It was staffed by the Sisters Oblates of Mary Immaculate. They were housed in a nearby convent and also used the church as their place of worship. On 29 July 1857, the church was dedicated in a ceremony presided over by
Bishop Briggs Sarah Grace McLaughlin (born 18 July 1992), known professionally as Bishop Briggs, is an English singer and songwriter. Her single "River (Bishop Briggs song), River" peaked at number 3 on the US Alternative Chart, and has been streamed more t ...
. The ceremony was notable, because in attendance were the
Archbishop of Westminster The archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the metropolitan of the Province of Westminster, chief metropolitan of England and Wales and, as a matter of custom, is elected presid ...
, Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman, his successor Henry Manning and the founder of the Oblates,
Eugène de Mazenod Eugène de Mazenod, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI (born Charles-Joseph-Eugène de Mazenod; 1 August 1782 – 21 May 1861) was a French people, French aristocrat and Catholic Church in France, Catholic bishop who founded the congregat ...
, who was made a saint in 1995. They processed through the city streets before having Mass in the church. The church was not complete; only the nave and side aisles were built. The chancel and transepts were designed by
Edward Pugin Edward Welby Pugin (11 March 1834 – 5 June 1875) was an English architect, the eldest son of architect Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and Louisa Barton. His father was an architect in the Gothic Revival style, and after his early death in 1 ...
, who was a partner in Joseph Hansom's architectural firm from 1862 to 1863. When the chancel and transepts were completed, the church in its entirety was opened on 13 September 1866. The main celebrant at the ceremony was the
Archbishop of Westminster The archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the metropolitan of the Province of Westminster, chief metropolitan of England and Wales and, as a matter of custom, is elected presid ...
, Cardinal Manning. In 1916, a tower building fund was started to collect donations for the construction of a tower which was in the original church architectural plans. However, this was during the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and no tower was built.


Repairs

As the church sits on Richmond Hill, it is exposed to strong winds. In December 1894 and February 1962, the church was damaged and needed to be repaired. From the 1930s to the 1950s, the church was renovated. Major repairs and renovation also took place from 1980 to 1981. In 1953, during renovation work, an old coal mine was discovered underneath the church. A mine shaft, that could be accessed through the sacristy, was blocked off during the church's construction. Leeds Council had no records of the mine, but it did confirm a local suspicion that a nearby coal mine once existed. A study by
Leeds City Council Leeds City Council is the local authority of the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Leeds has had a council since 1626, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1974 it has been a metropolitan borough council. It provides the ...
in August 2007 recorded that more than one mine exists, at three different levels, dating from the late 1600s to 1877.


Rehousing

From 1935 to 1950, much of the local population was moved to new houses in the
Osmondthorpe Osmondthorpe a district of east Leeds in West Yorkshire, England is considered part of the Halton Moor district. It is situated in the LS9 LS postcode area, Leeds postcode area, two miles (3 km) to the east of Leeds city centre between Eas ...
area in east Leeds. This re-housing of population caused the parish of Mount St Mary's to halve in size before the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. It went from 6,000 people to 3,000. After the Second World War it stood at 1,100 people. Postwar efforts to invite people back to the area did not succeed and by 1979, the parish population was 790 people.


Post-Vatican II

In 1953 the orphanage, that the sisters ran from 1853, closed. More than 3,000 children passed through it during its existence. In June 1967, it was decided to build a new parish social centre for the church. On 18 October 1964, after the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
, a new English liturgy was introduced to the parish. On 11 April 1965 it was inaugurated and then said at all future Masses. In July 1971 a new altar was added to allow the priest to say Mass facing the congregation. In April 1978, a parish council was introduced. In the same year, Mount St Mary's School became a comprehensive. On 30 November 1986, the link between the church and the nearby Anglican church, St Saviour's, led to an official 'Covenant Declaration to Witness and Work Together'. This was signed by
David Konstant David Every Konstant (16 June 1930 – 9 October 2016) was an English prelate and the Bishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds, England. Konstant had served as the eighth Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds, being succeeded by Arthur Ro ...
,
Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds The Bishop of Leeds is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds in the Province of Liverpool, England. The Vicariate Apostolic of the Yorkshire District was elevated to diocese status as the Diocese of Beverley on 29 September 1850 ...
, and David Young, Anglican
Bishop of Ripon The Bishop of Ripon is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. The bishop is one of the area bishops of the Diocese of Leeds in the Province of York. The area bishop of Ripon has oversight o ...
.


Architecture


Exterior

The church is an example of nineteenth-century
Gothic Revival architecture Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
. It has a brick exterior, and a steep slated roof similar to the main parts of St Walburge Church in Preston and
Plymouth Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Boniface in Plymouth, England, is the seat of the Bishop of Plymouth and mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth, which covers the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. The Diocese ...
, both by the same architect,
Joseph Hansom Joseph Aloysius Hansom (26 October 1803 – 29 June 1882) was a British architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style. He invented the Hansom cab and founded the eminent architectural journal ''Building (magazine), The Builder'' i ...
. It has a tall nave and a semi-circular chancel. It is east facing with north and south transepts. Each transept has a rose window above three smaller lancet windows. There are gables above the windows over the aisles and above the polygonal apse, with Greek crosses carved into them. The tracery is decorated, including the large west window. It has geometric tracery with an arched doorway below. Included with the windows are
hood mould In architecture, a hood mould, hood, label mould (from Latin , lip), drip mould or dripstone is an external moulded projection from a wall over an opening to throw off rainwater, historically often in form of a '' pediment''. This moulding can be ...
s to stop rainwater hitting the stonework below.


Interior

There is one central aisle with two narrower ones on either side. There are columns, each supporting a Gothic arch, either side of the main aisle, six from the back to the chancel. From there, there are seven steps leading up to the sanctuary with two more columns until the bay-shaped sanctuary. The bay has three gothic arches around it, separating it from the back east side of the church. The altar is marble, but the top surface of it has been smashed into pieces since the church was closed. Around the altar are three sculptures set into the wall. The centre one depicts angels; the north side one depicts church leaders and saints; and the south side one depicts royalty, all kneeling towards an emblem of the
Blessed Sacrament The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. Christians believe that the rite was instituted by J ...
being crowned by the angels. In the north aisle, confessionals still remain. The floor in the nave is wooden, while the floor in the sanctuary is tiled. Some of the windows still survive in the church, because they have protective screens on them. They were by Hardman & Co. File:Mount St Mary's derelict interior - geograph.org.uk - 798581.jpg, North transept File:Mount St Mary's derelict interior - geograph.org.uk - 798587.jpg, View from the sanctuary File:Mount St Mary's derelict interior - geograph.org.uk - 798593.jpg, Sanctuary


Parish

To cater for the moved Catholic congregation in Osmondthorpe, a daughter parish of Mount St Mary's was built, Corpus Christi Church. This was also staffed by the Oblates. It was originally a wooden building, built next to the presbytery. In the early 1950s, it was burnt to the ground by a fire. In the 1960s, work started on the present church and it was opened in 1962. The Oblates served the Corpus Christi parish until 2008 when they handed it over to the Diocese of Leeds who continue to administer the church.The Story of Corpus Christi Parish
from Newman Parish, retrieved 11 April 2014
In 2011, together with St Theresa of the Child Jesus Church in
Cross Gates Cross Gates (often spelled Crossgates) is a suburb in east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The area sits between Seacroft and Swarcliffe to the north, Whitkirk and Colton to the south, Killingbeck to the west and Austhorpe to the sout ...
and St Gregory the Great Church in
Swarcliffe Swarcliffe, originally the Swarcliffe Estate, is a district of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is east of Leeds city centre, and within the LS14 and LS15 Leeds postcode area. The district falls within the Cross Gates and Whinmoor ward of ...
, it became part of the Parish of Blessed John Henry Newman.


Closure

With the parish population shrinking and the cost of maintaining the church increasing, the Oblates decided to withdraw from the parish. The bill of repairing the church was estimated to be £1.5 million, which was considered to be too expensive for a church with a reduced congregation. In June 1989, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate handed over administration of the parish to the Diocese of Leeds. It was deconsecrated on the departure of the Oblates. Together they worked to sell the church and hoped that it would still be function in a different role for the local community. In 1996, it was sold to Sanctuary Housing Trust for a nominal amount. Since its sale it has remained unused. Scaffolding is visible around the church, showing that only essential repairs to make the building structurally safe have been carried out.Conservation appraisal
from
Leeds City Council Leeds City Council is the local authority of the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Leeds has had a council since 1626, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1974 it has been a metropolitan borough council. It provides the ...
retrieved 3 May 2014
It has been named by the
Victorian Society The Victorian Society is a UK charity and amenity society that campaigns to preserve and promote interest in Victorian and Edwardian architecture and heritage built between 1837 and 1914 in England and Wales. As a statutory consultee, by l ...
as a heritage building at risk of disrepair.


List of Superiors

The priests in charge of the parish, from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, were: * 1851–56: Fr Cooke * 1856–67: Fr Pinet * 1867–75: Fr Redmond * 1875–85: Fr Pinet * 1885–88: Fr J. O’Reilly * 1888–90: Fr Coyle * 1890–04: Fr Roche * 1904–08: Fr E. Matthews * 1908–22: Fr D. O’Ryan * 1922–25: Fr J. Gorman * 1925–31: Fr M. Butler * 1931–32: Fr M. O’Ryan * 1932–36: Fr T. Foley * 1936–42: Fr McManus * 1942–48: Fr Clavin * 1948–54: Fr Clery * 1954–60: Fr P. Glasheen * 1960–66: Fr Sean Connellan * 1966–72: Fr D’Arcy * 1972–75: Fr L. Keogh * 1975–81: Fr M. Phelan * 1981–87: Fr Michael McGhee * 1987–88: Fr Richard O’Donovan * 1988–89: Fr Patrick Mee


See also

*
Mount St Mary's Catholic High School, Leeds Mount Saint Mary's School is a Roman Catholic secondary school in Leeds, England. History Mount Saint Mary's School was founded in 1853 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Sisters Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Father Robert Cooke, O ...
*
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest later recognized as a Catholic saint. The congregation wa ...
* Diocese of Leeds *
Grade II* listed buildings in Leeds There are over 20,000 Grade II* listed buildings in England. This page is a list of these buildings in the metropolitan borough of Leeds in West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial ...
* Listed buildings in Leeds (Burmantofts and Richmond Hill Ward)


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leeds, Mount Saint Mary
Mount Saint Mary Mount Saint Mary (, ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 115. or ''Kallenberg''), originally known as Holm, is an inselberg in the north o ...
Mount Saint Mary Mount Saint Mary (, ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 115. or ''Kallenberg''), originally known as Holm, is an inselberg in the north o ...
Grade II* listed churches in West Yorkshire Roman Catholic churches completed in 1866 Redundant churches Former churches in West Yorkshire Grade II* listed Roman Catholic churches in England 1851 establishments in England Gothic Revival architecture in Leeds Gothic Revival church buildings in England Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United Kingdom Buildings by Joseph Hansom