| St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith | |
| Fullname: | Shrine and Parish Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith, Ashton-in-Makerfield |
| Osgridref: | SJ5756298889 |
| Location: | Ashton-in-Makerfield |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Website: | St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith Parish |
| Dedication: | St Oswald & St Edmund Arrowsmith |
| Relics: | Hand of Edmund Arrowsmith |
| Status: | Active |
| Functional Status: | Parish church |
| Heritage Designation: | Grade II[1] |
| Designated Date: | 1988 |
| Architect: | J. K. Brocklesby |
| Style: | Romanesque |
| Completed Date: | 1930 |
| Deanery: | Wigan |
| Archdiocese: | Liverpool |
| Priest: | Rev Canon John Gorman |
| Deacon: | Paul Blinston, John O'Brien, Jim Byrne |
The Catholic Church of St Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith is a Roman Catholic parish church located on Liverpool Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Greater Manchester, England, which is a Grade II-listed building and includes the Diocesan Shrine of St Edmund Arrowsmith.
The first Catholic church on the site was built in 1822. The old church was demolished and the foundation stone of the new building was laid in 1925.
The present church was constructed in the Romanesque style and completed in 1930, with the architect being J. K. Brocklesby.[2] The bell tower, on the right of the facade is a notable landmark with its green copper pyramid roof that can be seen on the drive into Ashton from Stubshaw Cross. The interior has two saucer domes and an apse. The altar itself has marble flooring and four red carpets. It has four seats either side for the Altar servers to be seated. At the back of the altar is the Tabernacle, and eight candles. Above the altar are stained glass windows of saints designed by Harry Clarke.
The presbytery and the church gates, which both date from 1822, are also Grade II Listed.[3] [4]
Nikolaus Pevsner described the church as "totally outdated" but "ambitious" and "impressive".[2]
The church houses a holy relic, the hand of St Edmund Arrowsmith, who was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.[5]