North Staffordshire church sold – and it’s set to remain a place of worship

A North Staffordshire church will remain a place of worship after being sold. The Archdiocese of Birmingham has confirmed the completion of the sale of the former St John the Evangelist church, presbytery and school in Kidsgrove to the Coptic Orthodox Church.

The site will now be known as St Mary and St John the Evangelist Coptic Orthodox Church. The former St John the Evangelist Catholic Academy was vacated in 2022 – with the school moving to Gloucester Road, Kidsgrove. The Archdiocese identified this property, together with the adjacent presbytery and St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, as no longer sustainable.

The closure of St John’s followed canonical procedures and ceased to be a Catholic church in December 2023 after a final Thanksgiving Mass in October. The former parish of St John’s is incorporated into the new Parish of Our Lady of Grace – erected to cover for the former three parishes of St Joseph’s in Goldenhill, English Martyrs’ in Biddulph – including St Patrick’s Packmoor, and St John’s in Kidsgrove.

St John’s is a small late nineteenth-century brick church in Perpendicular Gothic style, of red brick with stone dressings and under a plain tile roof. It was built in 1892-3. The sale of the site to the Coptic Orthodox Church means it will continue as a place of worship and for community use.

Fr Bishoy, from St Mary and St John the Evangelist Coptic Orthodox Church, said: “We will keep the church as a place of worship and open for community, we are praying for all people and inviting all people to attend anytime they need to pray in this lovely church.” Archbishop Bernard Longley added: “I am delighted this sale has been completed and the site will continue to be used as a Christian place of worship.

“Our friends at the Coptic Orthodox Church have been welcomed into the area having rented the site for the last year. It is wonderful they are here to stay. The former church and school hold years of memories for members of the local Catholic community. I am sure the parishioners will be pleased to know that those memories will be cherished by the new faith community.”

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