▁St ▁Mary ' s ▁and ▁construction ▁started ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁The ▁church ▁was ▁completed ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁opened ▁by ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁North am pton , ▁William ▁W are ing ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 0 . ▁The ▁architect ▁was ▁Joseph ▁John ▁S col es ▁who ▁designed ▁numerous ▁churches ▁for ▁the ▁Jes uits , ▁such ▁as ▁Im mac ulate ▁Con ception ▁Church , ▁Farm ▁Street ▁in ▁London , ▁St ▁Francis ▁X avier ▁Church ▁in ▁Liverpool , ▁St ▁Ign ati us ▁Church ▁in ▁Pr eston ▁and ▁Holy ▁Cross ▁Church ▁in ▁St ▁Hel ens . ▁In ▁Great ▁Y arm outh , ▁he ▁also ▁designed ▁the ▁B ure ▁Bridge ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 ▁and ▁the ▁Ang lic an ▁church ▁in ▁South town ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 1 , ▁which ▁is ▁also ▁dedicated ▁to ▁St ▁Mary . ▁Despite ▁the ▁B ure ▁Bridge ▁col laps ing ▁on ▁ 2 ▁May ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁( because ▁construction ▁workers ▁made ▁the ▁bridge ▁wider ▁than ▁specified ), ▁Joseph ▁S col es ▁was ▁still ▁invited ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁to ▁design ▁St ▁Mary ' s ▁church . ▁At ▁some ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th - century , ▁the ▁Jes uits ▁left ▁Great ▁Y arm outh ▁and ▁handed ▁the ▁church ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁East ▁Ang lia , ▁who ▁continue ▁to ▁serve ▁the ▁parish . ▁ ▁Inter ior ▁The ▁church ▁has ▁st ained ▁glass ▁windows ▁from ▁Franz ▁May er ▁&