The original Cathedral Church of Our Lady Of Perpetual Succour was built from 1876 and was opened on 21 August 1878. It was situated on Sussex Street, in the old St. Hilda’s district of Middlesbrough.It was initially built not as a cathedral, but as a church that could hold 1,500 people to serve the people of Middlesbrough.
In August 1984, news reports stated that the cathedral had structural problems and may have to be pulled down. The shifting population of the town at the time also meant the cathedral had become more and more isolated. A new cathedral building was therefore required to replace the original. The new Saint Mary's Cathedral was built in the suburb of Coulby Newham, in the south of Middlesbrough, with building work commencing in November 1985.
