Church of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Godric

An oasis of peace in the bustle of the city, the Church of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Godric, built in 1864 stands proudly at the top of Castle Chare bank. Lovingly restored after the fire of 1985, this Edward Pugin designed building in the Gothic Revival style was once known as the ”Penny Church” from the donations of the working class Catholic families and the navvies who built the nearby railway cutting and the viaduct. The tower was added in 1909 and the war memorial in 1923. Of special interest are the stained glass windows, the high altar and the evocative black Stations of the Cross, kept as memorials of the fire. The Saint John Boste room houses a wooden carving of the martyr by Michael Doyle, a retired miner from Houston le Spring. Scenes from the life of St. Godric are depicted in the windows above the high altar. In the side chapel dedicated to Our Lady, is a beautiful stained glass window depicting worshipping angels. After the fire, much of the glass was restored but newly-designed windows, illuminated at night, were installed in the tower. The church has level access from Castle Chare, an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities and a hearing loop system. Visitors can enjoy a photographic quiz to help them uncover the riches of this beautiful building. There will be information sheets and informed volunteers on hand to answer questions and offer light refreshments. An exhibition will chart the history of the church as it grew with the city.

Timings & Tours

Friday 06 September:

1100-1330 1530-1700

Saturday 07 September:

1100-1330 1530-1700

Thursday 12 September:

1100-1330 1530-1700

Friday 13 September:

1100-1330 1530-1700

Saturday 14 September:

1100-1330 1530-1700

Location & directions

Church of our Lady of Mercy and St. Godric, 2, Castle Chare, Durham, County Durham, DH1 4RD

Directions:

Between the railway and bus stations, top of the Castle Chare bank.

Contact on day:

Kathleen Murray

Telephone number:

+447759130837

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Slope up to the front door. Disabled parking spaces at the top of Castle Chare and on Tenter Terrace. A small parking area at the rear of the church is accessed along the rear of Tenter Terrace. There is a step onto the sanctuary area.

Additional information

Usually only open for Church events, this is a wonderful opportunity to view at leisure a little gem of local history.

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