The church was built in 1873–74 and designed by J. O'Byrne.[2] It was built in a district of the town containing cotton mills, and was dedicated to Saint Joseph, the patron saint of workers.[1][3] The church cost £8,000 to build. In 1897 improvements were carried out, including some decoration and the installation of the Stations of the Cross, at a cost of £2,000.[3]
Architecture
Exterior
St Joseph's is constructed in red brick with sandstone dressings and a slate roof. Its plan consists of a nave, north and south aisles, a sanctuary with side chapels (all of these in one vessel), and a north vestry and west porch. The gabled west end is divided into three parts by stepped buttresses, and there are similar buttresses at the corners. In the centre is a projecting porch, also gabled, containing an arched doorway with four orders of moulding, flanked by lancet windows. Above the porch are three tall stepped two-light windows within a round-headed arch, and on each side of these is a similar window under a hood mould. Along the sides of the church are six bays divided by stepped buttresses. Five of these contain triple lancet windows. The east bay is gabled and contains a wheel window. The apsidal sanctuary has an east window of five lancets.[1][2]
Interior
The church has an "impressive hall-type interior".[2] The arcades are carried on columns of polished pink granite, and the nave ceiling is barrel vaulted.[1] The sanctuary and side chapels have mosaic floors.[3] At the west end is a gallery with a wooden arcaded front. The reredos is elaborately carved. It has a central crocketedcanopy with a spire, and side arcades with crocketed gablets. The reredos includes marble shafts, and in the side arcades are life-size statues. The marble pulpit is octagonal, contains statues in arched niches, and has a curved staircase.[1] The stained glass in the east window is by Mayer of Munich.[3] Elsewhere there is stained glass by Casolini of St Helens.[1]
External features
To the east of the church is a brick presbytery in Gothic style, with a crenellated porch. To the southeast of the church is the former school. This has a tower with a pyramidal spire containing triple arched bell openings.[2]
