St. Austin's Church, Wakefield

 

St. Austin's Church, Wentworth Terrace

The early history of the site where the church of St. Austin now stands is shrouded in some confusion.  What seems certain however is that before the church was built a chapel was erected on the site, evidenced by plans drawn up by Joseph Ireland in 1824 titled "The New Catholic Chapel".

In 1826 this chapel was referred to as the Wakefield Mission by the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits), during this time all chapels or churches run by the Jesuits were called Missions.

The building of St Austin's Church seems to have been started in 1827 as an estimate during that years states the cost will be about £2,500 and was registered under the provisions of the Catholic Relief Act 1790 on the 17th January 1828.

On 2nd November 1838 the Wakefield and Halifax Journal carried the following notice ;

Notice is hereby given that a building named St. Austin's Chapel situated in Wentworth Terrace, in Wakefield, in the parish of Wakefield, the County of York, in the District of Wakefield Union, being a building Licensed and used for public Religious Worship as a Roman Catholic Chapel exclusively, was on the 18th day of October, 1838, duly registered for the solemising of marriages therein, pursuant to Act of 6th & 7th William IV Cap. 85
Witness my hand this twentieth day of October, 1838
John Wood Berry Superintendent Registrar

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