1778
Greater religious freedom for Roman Catholics
Catholics built
lots of churches in Preston.
This church is St Augustines, which was built
between 1838-1840.
Since the 1530's many laws had been passed preventing
Roman Catholics from practising their religion and building Catholic
churches in England. In the 18th century the number of Roman Catholics
living in England grew after migration from Catholic Ireland. The Government
began to relax the laws in 1778 and by 1829 all remaining anti-Catholic
laws were abolished. After 1780 many new Catholic churches and chapels
were built in Preston. With the influx of Irish people in the 1840s
and 1850s, Preston became one of the most strongly Catholic towns in
England.