Drawing of Proposed St Josephs RC Church, Wellington Road, Todmorden

In 1868 the Catholic community in Todmorden moved to rented premises at Back Ridge Street but as a result of prejudice in the town they were forbidden to buy any land on which to build their own church. The congregation approached the staunchly Catholic Townleys of Burnley whose land agent purchase land on Ridge Street in Todmorden for the town’s Catholic congregation. In 1876 a school opened first, followed by the church 4 months later. In 1928, the church was in need of repair but as by that time it was also too small for the congregation it was decided to build a new one, as seen here, on Wellington Road and this opened in April 1929.