Church of St Joseph, Colwyn Bay

Introduction

The Church of St Joseph in Colwyn Bay was opened in 1900 to serve the Catholic population of the town and the many visitors the new seaside resort attracted.

History

The Catholic population of Colwyn Bay has been under the care of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate since 1895. The foundation stone of the church was laid on 10 August 1898 and the cost of construction was £12,000. The church was intended to have a tall NW spire above the tower, but this was never built; instead the tower was capped with a castellated parapet. The church was built between 1898 and 1900 to designs by Robert Curran in a Decorated Gothic style that shows the influence of A.W.N. Pugin. Robert Curran of Warrington served as architect, with Thomas Brown of Chester as contractor.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is in Decorated Gothic style with squared and irregular coursed cream-coloured sandstone with red sandstone dressings and slate roof. The church has a linear E-W plan with NW corner tower, porch in base of tower, nave, N and S aisles, polygonal apsed sanctuary and side chapels. The interior has a tall 5-bay nave with pointed arches on polished red granite columns to aisle arcades. There are six stained glass windows of 1912 by Harry Clarke in the S aisle.

The S chapel has a tablet in a Gothic frame dedicated to John Joseph Lennon, Rector of St Gregory’s Weld Bank, Chorley, died 12 October 1897. The tower contains a niche with a white marble statue of St Joseph. The sanctuary roof is of timber with stencilled decoration in the spandrels. The north Sacred Heart of Jesus altar is by Cusack and the south Our Lady altar by Boultons of Cheltenham, both dating from 1900-01.

The organ, originally from Jerusalem Chapel in Penmaenmawr and built by Peter Conacher and Co of Huddersfield, was rebuilt by George Sixsmith in 1995. Other stained glass in the sanctuary dates from 1925, with the artist unknown.

Parish life

The parish runs a Food Hub established in 2020 to provide essential foods for individuals and families on a short-term emergency basis. The parish has a Liturgy Committee. The parish has an Altar Servers group. Coffee with Welsh is held in the Community Centre.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Children preparing for Reconciliation are prepared for their First Holy Communion at the same time. RCIA is open to people wanting to join the Catholic faith, deepen their faith, and learn more about Scripture and tradition. Hospital chaplains on call are provided for Glan Clwyd, Llandudno Hospital, Ysbyty Gwynedd, and Colwyn Bay Hospital.