Record

AAW - Archives of the Archbishop of Westminster
- DOW - Diocese of Westminster
  - PAR - Parishes

Repository	Archives of the Archbishop of Westminster
Ref No	AAW/DOW/PAR/13
Title	Bishop's Stortford, St Joseph and The English Martyrs
Level	Series
Description	Steps to restore the presence of a Roman Catholic church in Bishop's Stortford after a break of about 350 years since the Reformation began through the initiative and work of a number of individuals. The first of these was Major Francis Skeet. Next, on 4th May 1896, came five Sisters of St Mary of Namur who, with encouragement from Major Skeet and Cardinal Vaughan, then Archbishop of Westminster, had arrived to start a mission and school for Catholic girls. The occasional visit by confessors and chaplains did not fully meet the spiritual needs and guidance of the Sisters or the Catholic community. The nearest Catholic Church was at Old Hall Green, near Ware, and that required a walk of approximately three hours each way. These factors convinced the Sisters of a need for a local priest. This need was communicated to Cardinal Vaughan, via the Sisters' Mother General in Namur and probably by Major Skeet too. Later in 1899 the Cardinal invited the Redemptorist Order to accept the task of establishing a Catholic community in the town. Father Oliver Vassall-Phillips was chosen for the job which he started on 6th May 1900. For a short while Mass was said in a small wooden shed in the grounds of the Windhill Lodge, where the Sisters had established themselves. Then for a short while Masses were held in a private house in Windhill. During these early days Fr. Vassall-Phillips had problems finding a house to accommodate the Redemptorist community and coupled with the lack of growth in attendance to Mass he resolved to go to meet his superior. He records how, whilst on his way to the rail station, he met Mr. Fehrenbach who persuaded him to stay. Mr. Fehrenbach, a German watchmaker, showed Father Vassall-Phillips a disused public house with some ground on the corner of Newtown Road and Portland Road. This was duly purchased and a second hand prefabricated tin shed was erected on site by November 1900 and formally opened on the 7th November in the presence of Bishops Brindle and other visiting clergy and distinguished laymen and 300 other onlookers. Thereafter progress was swift. In 1903 Major Skeet sold Windhill House to the Redemptorists, together with its surrounding land as well as the adjoining property, St Katherine's House, which became the site for the present St Joseph's Church. A legacy inherited by Father Vassall-Phillips was used to build the new church to designs prepared by Mr Doran Webb. The foundation stone of St.Joseph's was a stone from the original parish church of St Michael, encased in marble. It was laid by Cardinal Bourne on 13th July 1904. The church was formally consecrated on 19th June.

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