Short History of St Mary's Catholic Church in Studley

How the History began.

The Barley Mow Public House

In the Barley Mow there was a room known as the Bar Parlour, where in the evenings, and winter nights, the elders of the village used to meet, smoke their pipes and discuss village gossip and talk of the politics of the day. On one occasion, the Catholics proposed a new Church for the village of Studley.

The link with the Throckmorton Family.

Sir Robert Throckmorton, of the Catholic family of Throckmorton, who lived at nearby Coughton Court which had a Catholic Chapel within its grounds, was contacted. He agreed to a separate church for the village of Studley. With financial support from the trustees of Lady Mary Throckmorton's bequest, money raised from Catholic families in Studley, Staffordshire and Worcestershire, the next step was to find suitable land for the Church.

Sir Francis Lyttleton Hollyoake Goodrich sold land for the Church, Presbytery and garden to Sir Robert Throckmorton who then presented it to Studley to build the Catholic Church.

The building of the Church and its opening.

The Church, dedicated to St Mary, and the sacristy were built and opened on January 27th 1853. The architect was a Mr Hanson and the building of it had taken two years. The first priest appointed to the mission, as it was called, was the Reverend James Duck OSB, a Benedictine from Douai Abbey in Berkshire. (For Canonical and political reasons the English Catholic parishes were called Missions until 1911.) Reverend Duck was at St Mary's until 1856. The presbytery wasn't completed until 1865.

The first Mass was said on the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6th 1853. Parish registers tell us that Baptisms and Burials started from March 1853, Confirmations in November 1855, and marriages not until January 1861.

The link with the Benedictine Abbey of Douai, Berkshire.

The Throckmorton family at Coughton Court were served by Benedictine Chaplains for many years, and Mr Edward Lee, one of the original trustees of St Mary's also had associations with Douai Abbey. St Mary's Church Studley, from that time, has continued to be served by Benedictine priests from Douai Abbey. Our current parish priest is Father Alexander Austin OSB.

St Mary's Catholic School Studley

This first opened in 1864 and for the first 50 years of its existence, teachers had to battle with truanting and absenteeism. There was much sickness and weakness amongst the poorer children and they were often expected to provide manual labour, and also to work in the fields during the Summer months.

Today, a strong link exists with St Mary's Church. Children from the school make their First Holy Communion here, and in their final year at the school they are confirmed. Regular masses are also said in school.