Church History...

Short History and guide to Our Lady & St. Wilfrid’s Church, Blyth, Northumberland...

The story of Our Lady and St. Wilfrid’s parish begins in penal times with a Catholic chaplain in the estate houses of Delaval and Newsham.

The entry goes on to tell of the Chapel at Seaton Sluice, used by the Delaval family who were Catholics until about the end of the 17th century.

In the will of Sir John Delaval (dated A.D. 1655) there is a clause which says, “I will that Sir Richard Anderson, have meat and drink with my son Sir John Delaval, and also for doing duty, during his natural life, £4-6s-8p.” In those times priests were titled Sir rather than Reverend.

The entry continues “For years, aye for a century or more, from the day when Mass was said for the last time in Seaton Delaval Chapel, the Catholics of Blyth and (its) neighbourhood may be said to have been ‘without priest, without an altar, without a sacrifice’. At length in 1778, a Benedictine Father took up his residence in Morpeth to minister to the scattered flock. Morpeth had been served by a Jesuit Father from Longhorsley for some 50 years previously. Then in 1821 the church was built in North Shields and it is told how the Catholics of Cowpen, Seaton Sluice and Hartley came regularly to Mass on Sundays and Holidays, in fair weather and foul, and though farthest from the church, were always the first to arrive.

Twenty years later (in 1841) the Cowpen Mission was established by the Benedictine order under the auspices of the Sidney family. The Sidney family first entered the church under Bishop Challenor in 1740, and returned to Cowpen Hall in 1804, and began to encourage local Catholics by their piety and kindness. Mass was first offered in the east wing of the Sidney’s home (later to become the Sidney Arms) by a French priest, Father Deshoques and the baptism records for the period 1811-1820 show 17 entries. Mass later moved to Cowpen Grove House, but this became too small due to the expansion of the Bedlington Iron Works, and an influx of Irish immigrants, who swelled the Catholic population. In 1841, Mr. Marlow J. Sidney, a local Justice of the Peace, converted an old cow byre, with a hayloft, into the first church at Cowpen. This would later be pulled down and the stones of the old building worked into the church that survives to this day. The church became part of a Benedictine Mission which included Bedlington, Morpeth and Cowpen and would later encompass New Hartley, Blyth, Backworth, Annitsford and Ashington.

Less than twenty years later Fr. Burchall, the parish priest of Cowpen, and Mrs. Sidney of Cowpen Hall instigated plans for a new church at Blyth. The Northern Catholic Calendar of 1882 informs us that the church commenced in 1859 and was used for Masses and other services in 1861, … although “not solemnly opened until October 1862.” The Blyth Almanac of 10th October 1860 records the laying of a foundation stone for St. Wilfrid’s, in October 1860, by Fr. Allanson of Swinburne. The Right Reverend William Hogarth, Bishop of Hexham, presided at the pontifical opening sung Mass on 22nd October 1862, and the Very Reverend F. Aylward O.P. preached on “public opinion”.

A Newcastle based architect, A.M. Dunn, was engaged to design the church of Our Lady and St. Wilfrid’s. He was already known for design work on St. Nicholas’s Cathedral in Newcastle. The bulk of the work seems to have spanned the three years 1860-62 and various references to the church can be found in historical records going back to 1860. Principal among these are:

The Northern Catholic Calendar of 1882 says….
“The church…. Is spacious and lofty, being 118 x 38 ft. with a bell-turret. It is the most striking feature and noblest ornament of the town and neighbourhood. A presbytery in harmony with the church is connected by a cloister. Handsome and commodious schools with teacher’s house in the centre of town were erected in 1874-75. The total cost of all the buildings has been about £7000.

Pevsner’s ‘Buildings of Northumberland’ listed the church as….
“Being built in 1862 by A.M. Dunn… quite imposing church in a C14 style; aisleless nave with south east rock-faced bell turret and spirelet, south transept and polygonal apse. A covered walk or cloister links the transept with the buildings to the east which formerly housed a small community of Benedictine monks.

Kelly’s directory for 1890 has this entry….
Our Lady and St. Wilfrid’s Blyth…. 1861-62…. stone, early English style…. nave 118ft. long and 36ft. wide. The stone reredos is beautifully carved…. seats 668 people.

A copy of the Blyth Almanac for 1922 says ….
“The church of Our Lady and St. Wilfrid…. is in the early English style with an apse chancel. The new high altar was erected in 1878 to commemorate the anniversary of the opening of the church. It cost £400 and was designed by C. Walker. A shrine of carved oak to the memory of Catholic soldiers who died in the war (World War I) adorns the north side. The organ is by Blackett and Howden of Newcastle and was installed by Abbot Bamford. A beautiful balustrade of carved statuary adorns the chancel walls. In connection with the church are schools to accommodate 400 children. The schools in West Waterloo were built at a cost of over £3,000, including the site purchase, and opened in December 1894.”

THE CHURCH
  - is narrow and high in the old Celtic style and reminiscent of the original wall of St. Peter’s in Monkwearmouth. In keeping with this early design, used by Benet Biscop, there are no side aisles.

CHURCH INTERIOR
Stained Glass – the three west windows at the back depict the adoration of the lamb. They contain detail suggesting Benedictine origin (e.g. servers’ albs have black hoods) and may have been installed early in the church’s existence. A.M. Dunn, the architect, was himself renowned for designing the stained glass on the east wall of St. Nicholas’ Cathedral in Newcastle, which is very similar.

The First South Window is dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes – and was fitted to celebrate the millennium year of 2000 A.D. The artist was David Cowan of Birmingham and the new window replaces a frosted glass window repaired after World War II.

St. John The Baptist Window – on the north wall, is in memory of John Nelson, a local chemist in Blyth. No information could be found on the designer or manufacturer.

St. Catherine (North wall) and St. Boniface (South wall) Windows – were both designed by M. Dobbelaete of Bruges. The first is dedicated to Catherine Smithson, a parishioner, and the second commissioned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Fr. Boniface Mackinlay who died in 1874.

St. Cuthbert (North wall) and St. Monica (South wall) Windows – are designed by the same artist but the authorship is unknown. The St. Cuthbert window which is dedicated to the priests of the parish was damaged during the 2nd. World War and because of financial austerities could not be properly repaired. The damaged panels were finally re-created and replaced by Philip Crook of Vitrail Studios in Newcastle in the year 2000.

St. Benet Biscop Window (North wall) – was designed by Alan Davis from North Yorkshire to commemorate the saint who instigated the first glasswork in Northumbrian churches, in the 7th century. This window is partly traditional and partly modern to create a link between the Victorian windows and the re-glazed and re-designed abstract Rose window. This window is also believed to have been one of those which had suffered bomb damage during World War II.

High Altar Windows (East End) – These three major windows were manufactured by Bennett of Newcastle. The left windows are dedicated to St. Patrick and St. George, and the right ones to St. Cuthbert and St. Bede. The Central panel depicts Jesus, Mary and Joseph, with the lower windows dedicated to St. Augustine and St. Paulinus, St. Benedict and St. Gregory, and St. Benet Biscop and St. Wilfrid.

Rose Window in South Transept is dedicated to “Christ the Light of the World”. It was designed by Cate Watkinson and part of a major repair to the Rose window in the millennium year 2000.

The war damage to the church’s windows was briefly mentioned in a visitation report of 31st December 1946 in which there is an item of expenditure for “decoration, repairs, new windows etc. £433-2-8p. (due to war damage)”. How prices have changed!

PRIESTS OF THE PARISH
When the church was opened on 22nd October 1862 a Benedictine priest, Fr. Drumgoole was appointed the first parish priest, and he was to serve for 44 years until 1906. His successor was the 2nd. Abbot of Douai, the Rt. Rev. Thomas Ambrose Bamford, ordained on 12th June 1887. He was to serve the parish for 39 years and died in Blyth on 23rd January 1945. He is buried in the churchyard, close to the door of St. Cuthbert’s church, Cowpen. Abbot Bamford was succeeded by Fr. Murty, Fr. Mullarkey and Fr. Eckersley over the next 25 years until the Benedictines finally withdrew from the parish, in 1970.

The first diocesan parish priest was Fr. Tom Power who served the parish for 12 years as parish priest, before being succeeded by Fr. Jim Lennon who served for almost 18 years and was made a Freeman for his services to the town. Two younger parish priests followed in the shape of Fr. Paul Tully for a short period, and Fr. Paul McCourt, who led the parish for 6½ years, and was very active as a Territorial Army Chaplain. The present parish priest, Fr. Philip Quinn, took up post in August 2007. All have made their own unique contribution to the growth and development of the parish, ably assisted by assistant priests, well into the 1970’s.

CHURCH FURNISHINGS
Stations of the Cross - In 1899 when the new stained glass window was being installed in memory of Fr. Boniface Mackinlay, permission was given to install the Stations of the Cross which are now on display in the church. Following the First World War, Abbot Bamford commissioned the war memorial which now commemorates the dead of the parish during the Great War.

After the death of Abbot Bamford, the parish had a small wooden altar made as a memorial to him. Originally it stood to the right of the main door, but is now in the former Baptistry.

CHURCH REORDERING
In 1878 a new altar was installed to mark the first 15 years of the parish’s existence. The Sanctuary was further modernised in 1981 by Fr. Power including a new centre aisle and front facing altar. He was assisted by architect, Mr. Jack Lynn. Following the improvements, Bishop Hugh Lindsay consecrated the church on 20th October 1981, one hundred and twenty years after its opening. Fr. Power was also responsible for the beautiful Lourdes Grotto in the grounds which was blessed on 8th December 1982, the day before he left for Haydon Bridge.

Further improvements were carried out by Fr. Lennon in the 1980’s and 90’s, including re-roofing, repairs to the Rose window, new heating and decoration to the church. In the millennium year 2000 Fr. Paul McCourt facilitated major improvements to the stained glass windows and commissioned three new windows. Later in 2007 he also launched plans to renew the church heating, electrics and altar and this project was completed by Fr. Quinn, in 2008. Mr. John Curtis of the Napper Partnership was the architect.

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