A visit to St. John the Baptist RC church, Rochdale

Saturday 20th April 2024; St John the Baptist RC church, Rochdale. A joint visit with Greater Manchester Churches Preservation Society.

Start time: 11am. Finish: c. 12.15pm Booking not necessary: all welcome. A tour of the church and talk about the recent restoration of the dome, clerestory and mosaic. St John the Baptist church is a large Byzantine style church built in 1922/23 by R&T Howarth to designs by E Bower Norris and Oswald Hill at a cost of near £21,000: Greek Cross in shape with a large concrete dome over the central space. The glory of the church is the mosaics added by Eric Newton (Oppenheimer) in 1930/33 which cover all of the east end. The Fire Station Museum is adjacent to the church and is open from 10-4. Adjacent to Rochdale railway station and Metrolink tram stop is just outside.