Langley Moor, Durham
St Patrick's Church, Langley Moor
Last Updated:
4 Sept 2024
Langley Moor, Durham
This is a
Church, Place of Worship
54.754890, -1.613718
Founded in
Current status is
Extant
Designer (if known):
Edward Kay
Still in use
Here’s a taste of Catholicism in the Durham coalfields. The beautiful St Patrick’s at Langley Moor.
This place was built in 1909 to finally cater for the large Irish community around Langley Moor who first settled here in the 1860s and 70s. By this time there was at least 1000 Irish working the various collieries enveloping the village, and the Irish Catholics only place of worship was one of the terraces on the high street converted into a chapel. It was only rented too, so facilities were basic and could not facilitate such a large congregation.
By 1879, a building made of galvanised iron inlaid with wood, was erected to accommodate a church and school for the 2nd generation Irish children at the village. This one could fit about 300 people, and managed 30 years of service before the beautiful St Patrick’s we see below was opened. The previous one can be seen on maps from the 1890s at the same site, and it's clear the new iteration was built alongside it to allow worship during construction.
This one, a gorgeous gothic design, cost £4000 and seated 450 so a good chunk of the congregation. It was designed by Edward Kay - an ecclesiastical architect with other Catholic Churches surviving at Darlington and Blackhill.
Sadly, historic photos of Langley Moor are as scarce as hens teeth.
Listing Description (if available)
We're taking this one in reverse chronological order. The top map - the 1920 Ordnance Survey map, is the first one to feature the current church we see today. It sits next to Goat's Bridge, once crossing the Goat's Beck next to the church. It stands pretty close to St John's, a more standard Anglican place of worship but neatly adjoins a few of the neighbouring pit villages - Littleburn, Brandon and Langley Moor. It encompassed the whole Catholic (and Irish) community who migrated to work in the mines.
The 1897 map features the previous church, with the Presbytery which still exists. This was the "zinc" chapel, and the current church was built into the previous garden/wooded area. You may also notice the pit villages sprawling around. Many of their features have changed since much of this area was listed as a D village in the 50s. Littleburn no longer exists, though Langley Moor features its terraces on the High Street still.
Using the Goats Beck as a reference, you can see where the church is situated today. Before the advent of the pits and their associated settlements in the 1870s, this was a simple country lane with a few farmsteads off it. Langley Moor was a farm to the north, as was Humble Sledge to the south (https://x.com/neheritagelib/status/1830686335792779294). Brandon however was an established village and retains its medieval layout today.
St Patricks in 2024
The entrance to St Patrick's in 2024
