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
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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