Gorton Monastery. Ever heard of it? Probably not. We’re talking Gorton Manchester where the Franciscans arrived in 1861 to build themselves a friary. It was the celebrated architect E.W. Pugin who designed the Church of St Francis and friary, the building of which was completed in 1872. A towering landmark of jaw-dropping proportions, it is still considered to be one of Pugin’s masterpieces. By rights, it shouldn’t be standing today. …
