Parish History

Parish History: St. Wulstan’s Catholic Church, Wolstanton

St. Wulstan’s Catholic Church in Wolstanton has deep roots dating back to the 1880s, when Catholics in the area gathered in private homes for Mass, served by priests from St Joseph’s, Burslem. By 1923, a more formal Mass centre had been established in a local school on Ellison Street, and in 1924, a small temporary church was opened on Dimsdale Parade East.

The appointment of a resident priest in 1927 marked the formal founding of the Wolstanton parish.

The Present Church

In 1954, the National Coal Board offered the current site, which was free from mining subsidence risk. Construction soon followed:

• 1958: A school was opened on the site.
• 6 June 1959: The foundation stone of the church was laid.
• 7 October 1959: The church officially opened, designed by Hulme & Upright of Tunstall.

The church’s architecture is a modern interpretation of Romanesque style, constructed in buff brick with a series of nine steel portal frames, and designed without aisles to maximize visibility and congregational participation. A flat-roofed Lady Chapel was later added to the southeast.

According to The Catholic Building Review (1959), the design reflected both liturgical functionality and architectural innovation, influenced by the Archbishop and Fr McCabe.

Consecration and Reordering

• Late 1960s: The church was reordered and the Lady Chapel was completed.
• 8 May 1969: The church was consecrated by Bishop Cleary.

Over the years, parish expansion continued:

• A parish hall was constructed in 1980–1981.
• The Archer Public House was acquired, later refurbished and rented out by the parish.

Parish Amalgamation

In 2004, St. Wulstan’s, St. John the Evangelist (Chesterton), and Knutton were officially amalgamated, promoting greater collaboration and shared resources between communities.

Parish Life and Ministries

St. Wulstan’s continues to serve as a vibrant centre of Catholic life, offering:

• RCIA (since 1985)
• CAFOD & Women’s League (since 1987)
• A re-established Parish Choir (since 1994), led by Dave West

Parish Leadership: Past Parish Priests

Parish History: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Chesterton

The Catholic presence in Chesterton can be traced back to the early 20th century, with local tradition suggesting that Mass was celebrated as early as 1900 in a miners’ hostel. The first regular Mass centre, however, was established in 1923 in a hut on Liverpool Road, provided by the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Association, and was served from Holy Trinity by a dedicated curate.

Establishment of a Permanent Chapel

In 1926, a hall on Castle Street was acquired and converted into a chapel dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. This marked the formal beginning of parish life in Chesterton.

• 1948: Fr Vincent Charles Lucas was appointed as the first resident priest.
• 1950: Fr Tim Cronin took over as Parish Priest, moving from Stone. He famously described the existing chapel as “a wreck… dilapidated and derelict.”
• Shortly after his appointment, the house at 2 Wolstanton Road was purchased for £3,250 to serve as the presbytery.

New Church and Parish Centre

By 1956, the Castle Street chapel had become structurally unsafe. With permission from Archbishop Grimshaw, plans were made for a new church and parish centre on Loomer Road, designed by Sandy & Norris of Stafford.

• The project cost £11,000 and was funded through a series of parish-led fundraising events—bingo, raffles, dances, and the parish tote—with the debt cleared by 1973.

In 1977, construction began on a new church building adjoining the parish centre:

• Completed: September 1978
• Blessed: All Saints’ Day, 1 November 1978, by Archbishop Dwyer

Parish Leadership: Past Parish Priests

Architectural Description

The current church is a small, octagonal red-brick structure, built in the late 1970s, with exposed laminated timber trusses and tall rectangular UPVC windows. Though modest in design, it serves as a peaceful and reverent space for worship.

Integration with St. Wulstan’s

Since the early 2000s, St. John’s has been served as part of the St. Wulstan’s parish, with shared pastoral leadership and ministry support, while continuing to maintain its local identity and community spirit.