Sacred Heart Church, North Gosforth

Sacred Heart Church
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Sacred Heart Church Location of Sacred Heart RC Church in Tyne and Wear
55°02′27″N1°37′15″W / 55.0407°N 1.6209°W / 55.0407; -1.6209
OS grid reference	NZ2432271866
Location	North Gosforth
Country	England
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	http://www.sacredheartng.org.uk/
History
Former name(s)	Anglican church of St Mary
Dedicated	24 June 1912
Associated people	Thomas Eustace Smith William Morris
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	18 October 2006
Style	Early English Gothic
Completed	1860s
Administration
Diocese	Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
Parish	Sacred Heart Parish, North Gosforth
Clergy
Priest(s)	Father Michael Weymes
Deacon(s)	John Hawthorne

The Sacred Heart Church is a Roman Catholic church and ecclesiastical parish in North Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. Situated between Wideopen village to the north and Gosforth Park to the south, the church was made a Grade II listed building in 2006. ^[1] It is notable for its stained glass windows bearing designs by members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, in particular Sir Edward Burne-Jones. ^{[1] [2]}

History

St Mary's Church

The church is a 19th-century former Anglican church, built and donated by Thomas Eustace Smith in the 1860s, and named St Mary's. Use of the church fell following the more general use of St Columba's church in Seaton Burn, which was closer to most of the parish, and the church later closed.

Sacred Heart Church

The church was bought in 1911 by Bishop Richard Collins, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and endowed to the Diocese. Mass was first led by the Bishop on 28 January 1912, and the church was formally dedicated to the Sacred Heart on 24 June 1912. ^{[3] [4]}

List of Incumbent Priests

Date	Incumbent
1912–1918	George C. Jeffreys  [a]
1918–1921	C. Bede Tuohey
1922–1925	Charles Hart
1925–1926	None  [b]
1926–1937	Charles Hart
1930–1937	C. Bede Tuohey
1937–1948	William T Harris
1948–1949	James O'Brien
1949–1962	James Phelan
1962–1964	William McKenna
1964–1984	Edward Ord
1984–2000	Thomas Cass
2000–2008	Joseph Travers
2008–2020	James Dunne
2020–2022	William Agley [c]
2022-present	Michael Weymes [d]

Architecture

Built in the 1860s, the church is designed in the Early English Gothic style, although much of the masonry is brick rather than more traditional stone. The architect is unknown, but due to a number of similarities to the church of Baldersby St James in North Yorkshire, the parish believes that it is the work of William Butterfield or one of his students. ^[3]

Stained glass windows

The church is notable for its stained glass windows, bearing designs by Pre-Raphaelite artists Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown and William Morris. ^{[3] [5]}

See also

• St Mary's Cathedral
• Holy Name parish, Jesmond

Notes

1. Curate of St. Aidan's RC Church, Benton.
2. Served from St Charles Church, Gosforth.
3. Also priest of St Charles Church, Gosforth.
4. Also priest of St Charles Church, Gosforth.

References

1. Historic England (18 October 2006). "Sacred Heart Church (1391786)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 21 March 2020.
2. "Sacred Heart Church, Wideopen Conservation Area Character Appraisal" (PDF). Wallsend: North Tyneside Council. January 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
3. "Sacred Heart, Church History". Sacred Heart RC Church, North Gosforth. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
4. "Sacred Heart Church in Gosforth to celebrate centenary". North East Life. Retrieved 7 September 2012.^{[ dead link ]}
5. "Sacred Heart, Burne-Jones Windows". Sacred Heart RC Church, North Gosforth. Retrieved 7 September 2012.