Canon Chipp sought the construction of a new, larger church to replace the one made of brick.
He wanted a church to resemble the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
The architect of St John the Baptist Church was Henry Oswald Hill.
He was the cousin of Charles Joseph Gadd the Vicar General of the diocese.
The design of the church was influenced by Westminster Cathedral and John Francis Bentley.
On 21 October 1917, after making the designs for the church, Hill was killed in action during World War One flying as a captain in No.
52 Squadron RAF.
He also designed St Teresa's Church in Irlam in 1900, St Brigid's Church in Bradford in 1901, St Alphonsus in Old Trafford in 1903, Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church in Urmston in 1911, and St Joseph's Church in Heywood in 1913.

In 1918, Henry Thomas Sandy bought Hill's architectural firm.
In 1920, Ernest Bower Norris joined the practice.
In 1922, Sandy died and Norris ran the firm, which became known as Hill, Sandy & Norris, which ceased operations in 1969.
St John's Church was the first time Norris had built a Byzantine-style church.
From 1962 to 1964, he designed a similar church, St John Fisher Church, in West Heath, West Midlands.

The church was built from 1925 to 1927.
The original design for the church had a bell tower, which was never built.
From 1930 to 1933, the mosaic in the sanctuary was made.
The theme of the mosaic is eternal life.
It was designed by Eric Newton of Ludwig Oppenheimer Ltd, cost £4000 and was made by craftspeople in Manchester.

In 1966, a presbytery was built, attached to the north side of the church.
The architects for it were Desmond Williams & Associates.
In 1998, a residence was added to the side of the church.
This was done by demolishing the presbytery and a section of the east transept.
Canon Chipp sought the construction of a new, larger church to replace the one made of brick. He wanted a church to resemble the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The architect of St John the Baptist Church was Henry Oswald Hill. He was the cousin of Charles Joseph Gadd the Vicar General of the diocese. The design of the church was influenced by Westminster Cathedral and John Francis Bentley. On 21 October 1917, after making the designs for the church, Hill was killed in action during World War One flying as a captain in No. 52 Squadron RAF. He also designed St Teresa's Church in Irlam in 1900, St Brigid's Church in Bradford in 1901, St Alphonsus in Old Trafford in 1903, Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church in Urmston in 1911, and St Joseph's Church in Heywood in 1913.
In 1918, Henry Thomas Sandy bought Hill's architectural firm. In 1920, Ernest Bower Norris joined the practice. In 1922, Sandy died and Norris ran the firm, which became known as Hill, Sandy & Norris, which ceased operations in 1969. St John's Church was the first time Norris had built a Byzantine-style church. From 1962 to 1964, he designed a similar church, St John Fisher Church, in West Heath, West Midlands.
The church was built from 1925 to 1927. The original design for the church had a bell tower, which was never built. From 1930 to 1933, the mosaic in the sanctuary was made. The theme of the mosaic is eternal life. It was designed by Eric Newton of Ludwig Oppenheimer Ltd, cost £4000 and was made by craftspeople in Manchester.
In 1966, a presbytery was built, attached to the north side of the church. The architects for it were Desmond Williams & Associates. In 1998, a residence was added to the side of the church. This was done by demolishing the presbytery and a section of the east transept.
St John the Baptist Church, Rochdale