Denomination: Catholic Church
Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart
After Catholic Emancipation in 1829 and the restoration of the hierarchy in 1851, the celebration of Mass returned to Wellingborough in 1868. Mr. Arkwright, a convert living at Knuston Hall, enabled Canon Scott from Northampton to say Mass for four Catholic families over a Post Office. In 1875, the town was entrusted to Father Bernard Murray, a curate at the Cathedral, who said Mass weekly in a rented house in Church Street where two of the upstairs rooms were converted into a chapel which became known as “ The Garrett ” . On 1 st June 1881 he moved into the town when Wellingborough was established as an independent Mission.
Father Murray started a Catholic School in a shop in Midland Road and in 1884 an iron school was erected in Ranelagh Road for the sum of £340 on the site of the present ‘ Old School ’ . The records for 1882 mentioned 160 Catholics out of a population of 14,000 people. There were 21 Baptisms including 12 converts. In 1883 a grand total of 76 people made their Easter Communion and in the same year 34 people were confirmed.
Not content with a temporary iron church Father Murray soon entered into discussions with the Bishop to make plans for a new church in Ranelagh Road on a site bought in 1881 opposite the iron building. And on 2 nd September, 1886, the present church of Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart was opened with a High Mass celebrated by Bishop Riddell. The cost of the church was £5,016. The Presbytery was added in 1894 at the personal expense of Bishop Riddell. In 1896 the present school building in Knox Road was built at a cost of £1,150 and in 1902, with help from Ireland, a mission at Rushden was established.
In 1913 Canon Murray retired after 32 years in Wellingborough. He had arrived in the town with only a handful of Catholics to administer to, but he had built a church, a school and a presbytery and had “fathered” a generation. From the upper room in Church Street where the celebration of Mass must have so reflected the intimacy of the Last Supper, a small group led by a young priest had been inspired to build not only a church but a parish. Canon Murray was followed by Fr. A O’Sullivan, Fr. E Garnett, Fr. J Cosser, Fr Underwood Fr. E Payne who saw the church consecrated on 4 th May 1954, Fr. W Johnson, Fr. J Fennell, Canon D McSweeney, Fr. M Griffiths, Fr Edmund Worthy and since 2015 Fr Paul Inman.
After Catholic Emancipation in 1829 and the restoration of the hierarchy in 1851, the celebration of Mass returned to Wellingborough in 1868. Mr. Arkwright, a convert living at Knuston Hall, enabled Canon Scott from Northampton to say Mass for four Catholic families over a Post Office. In 1875, the town was entrusted to Father Bernard Murray, a curate at the Cathedral, who said Mass weekly in a rented house in Church Street where two of the upstairs rooms were converted into a chapel which became known as “ The Garrett ” . On 1 st June 1881 he moved into the town when Wellingborough was established as an independent Mission.
Father Murray started a Catholic School in a shop in Midland Road and in 1884 an iron school was erected in Ranelagh Road for the sum of £340 on the site of the present ‘ Old School ’ . The records for 1882 mentioned 160 Catholics out of a population of 14,000 people. There were 21 Baptisms including 12 converts. In 1883 a grand total of 76 people made their Easter Communion and in the same year 34 people were confirmed.
Not content with a temporary iron church Father Murray soon entered into discussions with the Bishop to make plans for a new church in Ranelagh Road on a site bought in 1881 opposite the iron building. And on 2 nd September, 1886, the present church of Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart was opened with a High Mass celebrated by Bishop Riddell. The cost of the church was £5,016. The Presbytery was added in 1894 at the personal expense of Bishop Riddell. In 1896 the present school building in Knox Road was built at a cost of £1,150 and in 1902, with help from Ireland, a mission at Rushden was established.
In 1913 Canon Murray retired after 32 years in Wellingborough. He had arrived in the town with only a handful of Catholics to administer to, but he had built a church, a school and a presbytery and had “fathered” a generation. From the upper room in Church Street where the celebration of Mass must have so reflected the intimacy of the Last Supper, a small group led by a young priest had been inspired to build not only a church but a parish. Canon Murray was followed by Fr. A O’Sullivan, Fr. E Garnett, Fr. J Cosser, Fr Underwood Fr. E Payne who saw the church consecrated on 4 th May 1954, Fr. W Johnson, Fr. J Fennell, Canon D McSweeney, Fr. M Griffiths, Fr Edmund Worthy and since 2015 Fr Paul Inman.
