St Peter and St Paul Church, Wolverhampton
| St Peter and St Paul Church | |
|---|---|
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| Coordinates: 52°35′16″N 2°07′50″W / 52.5877°N 2.1305°W | |
| OS grid reference | SO9125798890 |
| Location | Wolverhampton, West Midlands |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | sspeterpaulwolverhampton.com |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Mary and St John Church |
| Dedication | Saints Peter and Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 16 July 1949 |
| Architect(s) | Joseph Ireland and Edward Goldie |
| Style | Greek Revival |
| Years built | 1826 - 1828 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Wolverhampton |
| Archdiocese | Birmingham |
| Province | Birmingham |
St Peter and St Paul Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It was built from 1826 to 1828, with extensions being built in 1901 and 1928. It was designed by Joseph Ireland and the architect for the extension in 1901 was Edward Goldie. It is built as part of Giffard House, which is now a presbytery for the church. It is situated on Paternoster Row, between Wolverhampton City Council and the Ring Road St Peters. Both the church and Giffard House are a Grade II* listed building.
The Giffard family, who were a Catholic Recusant family, used their house as a home for spinsters or widowed sisters and daughters, who cared for priests and monks and travelling Catholics. During the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot two Catholics were executed in High Green, Wolverhampton (also known as Queen's Square). The church does have a Recusant Chalice from the English Civil War which is still used at Mass.
In 1678, during the reign of Charles II, there was the Titus Oates persecution and two Jesuit Priests were arrested in Wolverhampton, Father Gavin was executed in London and Father Atkins died in Stafford Prison. Peter Giffard was also arrested but survived and a local priest, William Ironmonger was also executed. There were more riots when the last Catholic King James II fled the country in 1688 and William of Orange and his wife Mary became the rulers. The Chapel in Giffard House was attacked and the priest's vestments burnt.
In the 17th century there were a number of Roman Catholics in Wolverhampton. The town was known as "Little Rome", which was meant as an insult. Local gentry who remained Catholic were, the Giffards, the Levesons (pronounced "Looson") and the Whitgreaves. The Giffards of Chillington Hall were involved with St Peter and St Paul's Church. The Giffards owned two town houses in Wolverhampton, one was in Cock Street (now called Victoria Street) and one in Tup Street (sometimes Goat Street) and now North Street, and this is now the Presbytery to the attached church.
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