Church

St Joseph, Burslem

St Joseph, Burslem

St Joseph's is a Grade II* Roman Catholic church on Hall Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

Location
Burslem, Staffordshire
Country
England
County
Staffordshire
City / town
Burslem
Address
Hall Street, Burslem, Staffordshire, ST6 4BB
Postcode
ST6 4BB
Built
1925–27
Consecrated
June 1937
Architect
John Sydney Brocklesby
Denomination
Catholic Church
Dedication
Joseph
Diocese
Birmingham
Parish
St Joseph, Burslem
Grade
II*
Style
Italian Romanesque
Materials
Red and purple brick
Grid reference
SJ 865 498
Opening hours
Visitors can be accommodated by contacting the Parish Administrator.
Access
Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets in church

Overview

Taking Stock and Historic England record an ambitious Italian Romanesque church of 1925–27 by the Arts and Crafts architect John Sydney Brocklesby, who also designed Sacred Heart, Tunstall. The foundation stone was laid on 17 September 1925 and the church opened on 14 June 1927; contractors were Booth and Son of Banbury. A mission from Cobridge had been established in 1895; a school-chapel of 1897–98 and a presbytery of 1902–3 preceded the present church on an adjoining site. Consecration followed in June 1937 after about ten years of embellishment.

Interior decoration and stained glass were carried out by young people of the parish under Gordon Forsyth, principal of the Burslem School of Art. His daughter Moira Forsyth painted the sanctuary ceiling Christ in Glory (about 1935–37, restored 1992). Father William Browne added furnishings acquired abroad, including Stations of the Cross from Oberammergau. Wikipedia describes red and purple brick with a campanile, a smaller north-west tower, nave, passage aisles, transepts and an apsidal chancel. The listing was upgraded to II* in 2016.

Further Information