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 On Saturday, 18th May 1895, Cardinal Herbert Vaughan, Archbishop of Westminster, laid the foundation stone for the new church in the presence of the Dowager Duchess of Newcastle and some 600 spectators. |
MATTERS moved very swiftly. In 1894 the Duchess bought a house in Stag Lane, Buckhurst Hill and brought in an order of nuns, the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, to teach children of the area, Cardinal Vaughan and the Duchess insisting that children of all denominations be admitted. In March of the same year the Duchess also purchased a house on Epping New Road called Kenilworth. The house was blessed by the first Guardian, (appointed by the Chapter at Amiens) an Englishman from Padfield named Father Edward Fisher who took up residence there with seven other Franciscans.
Later in the same year, a small galvanised iron chapel, 40ft. by 80ft., was erected in the gardens. Mass on Sunday morning was at 8.30 and 10.00; Catechism for the children at 3.30 in the afternoon; rosary, sermon and benediction at 6.30 in the evening. During the week, (a sign of the times, when people began work early) there was morning mass at 5.30 and 7.00; Benediction on Wednesdays, stations of the cross on Fridays with ample opportunity to attend confession. These, however, were only temporary measures. Mr. Leatherley had his eye on a large estate opposite the coaching inns in Woodford High Road on the brow of the small hill which ran down past the newly established Bancrofts School. The house was one of the 18th century mansions owned by Henry Vigne and bordering land owned by the Duchess' noble friends, the Wellesleys. In 1894, the Duchess, through Leatherley, bought this "Oaks" as well as the Montclair site and plans were pushed ahead to use most of this site for a large parish church, a Franciscan community of about 40 as well as an elementary school near the Duchess' planned boarding school for girls in Mornington Road. Henrietta would keep part of the Oaks but turn the rest over for the construction of the Friary and the Parish Church.
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 Montclair School, now the location of Trinity Catholic High School, Sydney Road, Woodford Green. |
In March 1895 tenders came in for the new buildings and on 2nd April 1895, a contract was drawn up, the architect being a priest, Canon Alexander Scoles of the Clifton diocese who was himself a member of the Third Order of St. Surrey. The above description of the new church is provided by the Woodford Times.
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 1895: A description in 24th May edition of the Woodford Times: "...the church, which will be in the early English style, is designed to accommodate 700 worshippers. It will be provided with a nave and two aisles and two side chapels with a porch, organ gallery over the sanctuary and choir behind for 40 friars. Its dimensions will be as follows: Total width inside, 51ft; length of nave, 81ft; total length including sanctuary and choir, 148ft; height of nave inside, 48ft; height of nave outside, 56ft; height to top of cross, 80ft. The Friary, which is to adjoin the church, is intended for 40 monks and will be 150ft. x 88ft. The estimated cost of the church, friary, etc. is about £10,000." |
The foundation stone of the church was laid on the 18th May 1895 by Cardinal Vaughan in the presence of the Dowager Duchess and some 600 spectators: priests and religious, prominent lay folk, "including many Protestants." According to the Catholic Standard and Ransomer as well as the Woodford Times and Catholic Times, the Duchess had gone out of her way to adopt a high profile for this occasion: flags were flying and the laying of the foundation stone was proclaimed by press and handbill. The ceremony was described as "brilliant": the Cardinal and entourage being in full pontificals, a choir had been brought in to sing Battman's Mass in F whilst a soloist beautifully delivered the hymn "Et Incarnatus Est."
At the reception afterwards, the Cardinal paid homage both to the Dowager Duchess as well as "the truly missionary spirit of the Friars in Woodford fast becoming a suburb for wealthy people".
Even in these early months it was apparent that the eight strong Franciscan community was not only serving the small Catholic population of the area but winning converts. By May 1895, according to the Catholic Times, a hundred people were already attending the iron chapel in the grounds behind Kenilworth House whilst, according to parish records, 79 people performed their Easter duties that year and in 1896, this had grown to 123.