Thursday 25th of April 2024
Location: home/history
History of Saint Andrew's Church
The present church of St Andrew's in Worswick Street was built in 1875, replacing a previous church built by Fr. James Worswick, after his death in 1843. In 1795 James Worswick (portrait shown above), a newly ordained young priest, arrived in Newcastle to look after the Catholic community in this poor area of the town. The house where Mass was celebrated was too small and run down so, Fr. James bought a new house in Pilgrim Street with a spacious garden.
He built a church in the garden that opened for worship on 11th February 1798. In 1807 St Andrew's Church was too small and needed to be enlarged. Two more additions were developed in later years. The earlier building was the first post-reformation Catholic church in Newcastle and Fr. James Worswick was commemorated when the new road, connecting Pilgrim Street and Carliol Square, was named after him.
