St Marys Catholic Church in Husbands Bosworth celebrates 150 years since it first opened

St Marys Catholic Church in Husbands Bosworth is celebrating 150 years since the church first opened.

The church and the village will commemorate the milestone with celebrations over three days, from Friday August 11 to Sunday August 13.

The church will be open for a Flower Festival each day from 11am-4pm with displays provided by the local community, businesses and organisations. On Saturday August 12 there will be a classical music concert in the evening at 7.30pm.

On Sunday August 13, Mgr Keith Newton, who is the church's equivalent of a Bishop, will be celebrating a special Mass to commemorate the event. This is open to all.

St. Mary’s is situated in the park of Bosworth Hall. It was built in 1873 by Sir Francis Fortescue-Turville, the then owner of Bosworth Hall, from whom the present owners are descended. The church was designed by Gilbert Blount, and has particularly fine wall paintings by W.H.Romaine-Walker. The church remains today as a fine example of an unaltered Victorian Church.

The community at St Mary’s dates back much further than 150 years and during the Reformation Bosworth Hall was a clandestine centre for the Catholic faith during times when it was illegal to be Catholic in this country.

The church's priest Fr Matthew Pittam said: "The present church re-opened two years ago after a period of closure and is now a thriving community and so this anniversary weekend is a real celebration of the new life which has grown here as well as reflecting upon all that has happened during the last 150 years."