St Mary’s Church and Grotto
Location : Cleator
Grit Ref : NY 021141
St Mary’s Church was designed by E.W. Pugin. It was opened in 1872. In 1978 the interior was radically altered, there is now a central altar surrounded by seating in a diamond pattern. The stained glass windows especially those added in the 1950’s are very striking.
The Grotto was built in 1927, when international travel was difficult for most people, as a shrine in honour of Our Lady. It was built with stone from the local mine pit banks and made to represent the Grotto at Lourdes, France. The Grotto became a place of pilgrimage for people from Lancashire and Cumbria. It was dedicated by Cardinal Basil Hume in 1980.
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