~ Gallery - Churches and Chapels ~
St Peter and the English Martyrs Roman Catholic Church
Father John Day who served Sedgley 1858-1865, is credited in erecting the first Catholic chapel-of-ease in Gornal, the location of this is uncertain.
In the booklet "Historical Notes on the Catholic Mission of Sedgley, Staffordshire", published in 1924, the Cannon Hymes writes:-
"I have been told and the authority should be a reliable one-that Fr. Day erected at Gornal Wood a room meant to serve as a chapel-of-ease. Apparently it was used for mission purposes for some time, but with inadequate success, and in consequence the use of it was discontinued. Later, sad to relate, it was sold-by whom I know not-and is now in Protestant hands and is used as a chapel."
1928: Dudley Chronicle, 21st June.
A NEW CHURCH
In the year 1860 the parish of Lower Gornal possessed a Catholic Church of its own but owing to the small numbers of this Faith in that district it was found impossible to continue the church, which only existed for a short time. Since then the parish has been served by Sedgley. The Catholic population has steadily grown, however, until now they find it necessary to once again possess a church of their own, and a new wooden building lined with asbestos sheeting, erected by a Tipton firm, and decorated by voluntary workers, has been opened in Temple Street. It is dedicated to St Peter and the English Martyrs, and will seat about 200, the number of the parishioners being about 300. There will be two Masses and Benediction on Sundays and one on Mondays, through the co-operation of the parish priest of Sedgley, Provost Hymers, with the Passionist Fathers and the Droitwich Fathers of the Sacred Heart.
A Roman Catholic 'school' was listed in Gornal in 1865, [Jones's Merchantile Directory] with John Coulson, Master and Ann Coulson, Mistress.
Schools were usually related to a place of worship at this time and it is presumed this would have been part of this early Catholic mission.
This school was probably the place in New Street that was later used by St.James's as a school room and afterwards as St. Johns Church.
Canon Hymers, who served Sedgley All Saints between 1922 and 1938, established the later chapel-of-ease in Temple Street, Lower Gornal.
The Roman Catholic Mission Church in Temple Street, Lower Gornal was erected in 1928 at a cost of £1,500.
The modern Catholic Church in Temple Street today
CDM 2019
A new church in a modernistic style was built on the site of the old church building in 1966 and completed in 1967, it was opened on 24th October, 1967 by Bishop Cleary.
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