PARISH OF THE HOLY CROSS AND ST. HELEN ASHTON

 Brief History of St Christopher’s Church

With the growth of the population in the Hurst and Smallshaw areas of Ashton in the late 1950’s, the then Bishop of Salford, Rt. Rev. Dr Marshall appointed Father William Kelly to open a new parish on the north side of the town. It would be an offshoot of St Mary’s Parish in the centre of Ashton.

Not for more than a century had there been a greater demonstration of Catholic faith in Ashton than when a congregation of about 4,000 gathered on the 5th June 1954 to witness Bishop Marshall laying the foundation stone for the new church.

On the 25 th July that same year, on the feast of St Christopher, the first ceremony of ‘Blessing of Vehicles’ took place. A tradition which continues to this day.

For four years, while the new building was taking place, a temporary presbytery had been established at ‘Ivy Cottage’ in Alger Street and church services were held in the CWS Hall in Russell Street. Eventually, on Easter Monday in April 1955 the church was solemnly opened by Monsignor J Cunningham.

^Location of St Christopher Church