Our Church

The Church Building
Our Church is located in Uppermill, the main Saddleworth village. It was built in 1873 and was originally owned by the Ebenezer Congregation.

The church has an upper gallery and a beautiful rose window of Christ the King, in addition to two other stained glass side windows, erected by the members of the Ebenezer Congregation in the last century. Chapel Road, which leads from Greenfield to Uppermill, is said to have acquired its name due to it being the track people walked along to reach the church in the past.

Adding St William
In 1967, the Church was purchased from the Ebenezers, giving the Catholic congregation a centrally located Church.

The Opening Ceremony in May 1967 was led by Bishop William Wheeler of Leeds, with Fathers Scriven, Buckley and O’Hanlon. A souvenir booklet produced for the Opening Ceremony had this foreword, written by Fr O’Hanlon

“It was a source of joy for us that we had a native of Saddleworth, Most Rev Dr William Gordon Wheeler, to perform the opening ceremony, and particularly as he chose his birthday, May 5th as the day to perform his first official task in his native parish”

Bishop William Wheeler of Leeds was born in Dobcross, and the church took his name in his honour, thus becoming the parish of the Sacred Heart and St William.

Parish Centre and Presbytery
Adjacent to the Sacred Heart is Platt’s Yard, and in the early 1980’s this land was donated to the Church by two parishioners, Clifford Powell and his nephew Brian. In 1987 the launching ceremony was held for the start of the new Parish Centre and Presbytery. This new building replaced the former centre in the old telephone exchange on the High Street, and the former presbytery at 2 High Street, which were separate and across the road from the Church building.

The Parish Centre and Presbytery provide great benefits to the Church, and are put to good use for the spiritual and social needs of the parish, clergy and visitors.