Site earmarked for St Catherine’s Roman Catholic Church, corner of Dene Road and Ford Lane

This three-quarter-acre plot of land, at the corner of Dene Road and Ford Lane, was bought in February 1944 at a cost of £1,000 and was earmarked for the new St Catherine’s R.C. Church. For many years the site was marked by a wayside Crucifix that, on May 26th 1946, had been consecrated by Fr. Vincent Sweeney and which today stands on the forecourt of St Catherine’s on School Lane. In the event, the land was not required for the church and eventually it was sold for the building of Holt House. In 1955, collections for a new church were started, building began in 1956 and on December 15th, 1957, the new St Catherine’s Church on School Lane was opened by the Lord Bishop of Salford, George Andrew Beck.

Sketch map, not to scale, with shaded area showing approximate position of the site earmarked for St Catherine’s R.C. Church.