In the nineteenth century, the Catholic Church started to grow in England, especially in the north-west with its established roots in pre-Reformation Catholic families and an increasing number of Irish Catholics, many of whom moved outwards from Liverpool.

Until the end of the century, Horwich was not a large or significant town and it had no Catholic parish.  This changed with the arrival of the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway in Horwich in 1884.  From this point on, the town grew rapidly.

Before the expansion of the town, Catholics mostly attended Mass at St Joseph’s in nearby Anderton.  In 1884 the Bishop of Salford, Herbert Vaughan, decided that Horwich should have a parish and in 1885, a temporary building was acquired at Gorton Fold.  The first public Mass in Horwich since the Reformation was celebrated there.

In 1886 a permanent building was opened on Chorley New Road called ‘Our Lady of the Rosary’, which allowed for the celebration of Mass which also housed a school and a Presbytery.  This continued to be the place of worship for the parish until the parish priest, Fr Michael McGrath, decided that the parish should have a separate church building.  This was opened on Sunday 6^th May 1906 by Bishop Louis Casartelli: ‘St Mary’s church’ which stands on Chorley New Road to this day.