All Saints' Church, Urmston

All Saints’ Church stands beside the Manchester Ship Canal between Dumplington and Barton upon Irwell, close to Urmston in Trafford. Designed by E. W. Pugin in the Gothic Revival style, the building was finished in 1868 and paid for by Sir Humphrey de Trafford. Nikolaus Pevsner called it Pugin’s masterpiece, and in 1928 the Conventual Franciscans began serving the parish. The church became a Grade I listed building soon after construction. Its opening was conducted by Cardinal Henry Manning in June 1868. The interior holds timber pews, stained-glass windows and carved stonework including a reredos and altar. A painted panel shows E. W. Pugin holding the church plan. From All Saints the Franciscans launched missions that grew into new churches across the district. Priests from the order have worked here continuously since 1962. The building’s craftsmanship and scale reflect both Pugin’s vision and de Trafford’s patronage. Visitors find a quiet sanctuary of Gothic arches and muted light filtering through the glass. Gargoyles peer from the walls while the painted portrait of Pugin marks a personal touch. The stone altar and reredos dominate the chancel, framed by the timber benches. Outside, the church overlooks the canal towpath and surrounding greenery. The Franciscan friars maintain the site and welcome those who come to see its architecture and history.