Our Lady of Gillingham Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady of Gillingham Church |
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Corner of Ingram Road and Railway Street
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| 51°23′16″N 0°33′29″E / 51.387745°N 0.558041°E | |
| OS grid reference | TQ 78085 68516 |
| Location | Gillingham, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1888 |
| Dedication | Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1896 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Chatham |
| Archdiocese | Southwark |
| Province | Southwark |
Our Lady of Gillingham Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Gillingham, Kent, England. It's a special place of worship for the local Catholic community. The church was started in 1888, and the main building you see today was finished in 1896. You can find it in the town center, right on the corner of Ingram Road and Railway Street. The church is built in a style called Gothic Revival, which means it looks like old medieval churches.
Contents
History of the Church
How the Church Started
Before this church was built, Catholic people in Gillingham had to travel to St Michael's Church in Chatham to attend services. In 1888, a new Catholic "mission" began in Gillingham. A mission is like a new church community being set up. Father Thomas McMahon arrived to lead this new group.
The local Arathoon family helped support this new mission. In 1890, work began on a small building. This building was used as both a school and a church. The Fauld family helped pay for it. It opened in 1893 and was later known as McMahon Hall.
Building the Main Church
The main church building, which you can see today, officially opened on May 12, 1896. The Archbishop of Southwark, Francis Bourne, led the opening ceremony. He later became a very important leader in the Catholic Church, a Cardinal, in 1911.
We don't know who the architect was for the church. The beautiful high altar and the reredos (a screen behind the altar) were made by a skilled craftsperson from Belgium. These special pieces were given to the church by a person named Louis Brennan.
Changes Over Time
The church has grown and changed over the years. In 1902, the church building was made larger. In 1934, a new school building was constructed. This building is now called Scott Hall.
Later, in 1972, even more new school buildings were built on Greenfield Road. This meant that only the junior school stayed at the old site. In October 1988, the junior school also moved to the new site. With no school left at the old location, some of the older buildings were taken down. A car park was created in their place.
In 1990, the church was extended again. A narthex was added, which is an entrance hall at the front of the church. Between 1999 and 2003, the two halls (McMahon Hall and Scott Hall) were updated and made new again.
Church Services
Our Lady of Gillingham Church holds several services each week. There are three Sunday Masses. One is on Saturday evening at 6:30 pm. The other two are on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am and 11:30 am. There are also daily Masses at 10 am. On special Holy Days, there are two Masses.
More to Explore
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark
