The Apostolic Vicariate of the Northern District was an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.
[1] Soon after the accession of Queen Elizabeth I, the bishops of England were forced to choose between taking the Oath of Supremacy, thus denying the authority of the Pope, and losing their episcopal sees.
Most of the deposed Bishops were imprisoned in various locations and died in captivity over a period of years, though some left the country and continued their work overseas.
The Vicars Apostolic were established in 1622 by the Congregation for the Propagation of Faith[2] to provide a Roman Catholic Bishop with jurisdiction in England.
[4] The Northern District consisted of the historic counties of Cheshire, Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland, Westmorland, and Yorkshire, plus the Isle of Man.