Catholic Pugin masterpiece expected to be given to New Dawn charismatic group

While the arrangements have not yet been finalised, the Prince of Peace leader Gary Stephens is already planning a programme of events at Barton for 2025.

Negotiations are in progress to hand over one of Britain’s finest Catholic churches to a charismatic group.

The Friars Minor Conventuals or Greyfriars plan to give All Saints at Barton-upon-Irwell, Manchester, to the Prince of Peace community, best known as the organisers of the New Dawn pilgrimage to Walsingham.

While the arrangements have not yet been finalised, the Prince of Peace leader Gary Stephens is already planning a programme of events at Barton for 2025.

The Gothic Revival church, built between 1863 and 1868, is Grade I listed and regarded as the masterwork of Edward Pugin. It has a breathtaking interior, and includes a magnificent marble high altar, beautiful stained glass and the chantry chapel of the De Trafford family. The presbytery is Grade II listed. There is also a hall, and a building from which the friars once produced their magazine, The Crusader. The Greyfriars are giving up the site after 60 years due to a steep decline in vocations.

Heritage experts are concerned about their likely successors’ lack of experience of caring for a church of singular historical and architectural importance. They also question whether they can afford to fund costly conservation work.

Connor McNeill, churches conservation adviser of the Victorian Society said: “A building like this needs constant maintenance and the Victorian Society is concerned by the new custodians’ lack of experience of working with listed buildings. We urge Prince of Peace to secure experienced conservation advice so that All Saints is preserved for future generations.”

Speaking on behalf of the Pugin Society, Edward Pugin’s biographer, Dr Gerard Hyland, said: “Under the present proposal it is far from obvious that its [All Saints’] long-term conservation and maintenance to a level commensurate with its Grade I status can be either guaranteed or financed.”

Dr Hyland added: “It essential that such important and highly specialised work be placed in the hands of the appropriate conservation experts.”

Sophie Andreae, vice chair of the Bishops’ Conference patrimony committee said: “Taking stewardship of All Saints is a daunting undertaking. We are on hand to advise Prince of Peace if they would like to contact us.”

Last April the Provincial Custos of Great Britain and Ireland, Fr Maximilian Mary Martin OFM, told The Tablet they were in negotiations with a then unnamed Catholic group to take over All Saints this Autumn. Since then, the friars have rejected an approach from a traditional group of friars, the Marian Franciscans, who were looking to set up a third friary to add to their existing centres in Portsmouth Diocese and Dundee.

All Saints is not a parish church though between 50 and 60 people attend monthly First Saturday devotions. On 16 October, the friar in charge of ministry at All Saints, Fr Gerard Mary Toman OFM, informed worshippers that “in the near future”, the leader of Prince of Peace and CEO of New Dawn, Gary Stephens, and his wife, Joanne, would be moving into the presbytery. He said Mr Stephens was planning a programme of events for 2025 including the First Saturday Mass though this would no longer be celebrated by the friars.

The church originally had a rural setting on the south bank of the River Irwell but there has been major development in recent years including the major industrial estate of Trafford Park and the Trafford centre shopping mall. A site to the west is being developed to create a further 3,000 homes.

All Saints was built by Sir Humphrey and Lady Annette de Trafford. They are depicted in a wall painting in the sanctuary along with their architect Edward Pugin. Conservation work is needed on the painting which has suffered damage from damp, as have the internal walls of their chantry chapel. The family were benefactors of the Diocese of Salford paying for the construction of five churches and a school, as well as contributing to numerous other churches. Manchester United’s nearby football stadium, Old Trafford, is named after them.

Asked about the arrangements for taking over All Saints, Mr Stephens said nothing had been finalised and that it was likely to be several months before the group takes over. A spokesman for the Conventuals said they were still in discussions and unable to comment.

There are only 23 Conventual friars in England and Wales including six from overseas.

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