St Peter and St Paul and St Elizabeth Catholic Church, Coughton facts for kids
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The St Peter and St Paul and St Elizabeth Catholic Church is a Catholic church built a long time ago, between 1851 and 1853. It was built by the Throckmorton family right on the grounds of their family home, Coughton Court.
Sir Robert Throckmorton, who was the 8th Baronet of his family, asked for the church to be built. This happened after new laws called the Catholic Emancipation Acts were passed. These laws meant that Catholics could openly practice their faith again, which they hadn't been able to do officially since the time of the Tudors. Today, the church is a very important old building and has a special status called Grade II listed.
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A Look Back: The Church's Story
The Throckmorton family were very brave because they stayed Catholic even after England changed its main church to the Church of England in the 1530s. This change started with the Act of Supremacy in 1534.
Because they were still Catholic, the family had to be careful. They would hold their special church services, called Mass, in the main room of Coughton Court, which they used as a secret chapel. You can still see signs of this today! There's a hidden "priest hole" in the house's tower. This was a secret hiding place for priests if they were in danger. It shows how important the house was for keeping the Catholic faith alive during those times.
After the new laws made it safer for Catholics, Sir Robert Throckmorton decided to build a new church. The old church on their land had been changed to an Anglican church. Building this new Catholic church was a way to celebrate the new freedoms Catholics had in Britain. These freedoms meant they could finally build their own places of worship again.
Building the New Church
Sir Robert Throckmorton asked for the church to be built in the 1850s. This was after the rules that were unfair to Catholics had ended. The church was built with a house next to it for the priest, called a presbytery.
A Catholic architect named Charles Hansom was chosen to design the church. He was the brother of J A Hansom, who designed the famous Hansom cabs (a type of horse-drawn carriage). Charles Hansom designed the church with a tall, thin tower. This style was inspired by churches in Ireland.
The original drawings for the church are kept safe with the Throckmorton family's old papers. The stone used to build the church came from the Throckmorton family's own land. The church was officially opened in 1857. It was used by the family and other Catholics living nearby.
Special Features Inside
The church has a special chapel in the northeast part that acts as the family's private seating area. It even has its own entrance! The beautiful stone pulpit (where the priest gives sermons) and the font (used for baptisms) were made in the mid-1850s.
The colorful stained glass in the east window was created by John Hardman between 1855 and 1862. The large organ in the west gallery was built by Henry Bevington of London around 1855.
The Church Today
In 1946, the Coughton Court estate was given to the National Trust. Today, the church is looked after by both the National Trust and the Catholic Historic Churches Trust. However, it is still considered to be owned by the family.
The church still holds regular Masses. It is part of the Our Lady and St Joseph Parish in Alcester. Historic England, a group that looks after old buildings, says the church is "at risk" because it needs some repairs. But the church owners have said they want to fix these issues.
Inside the church, you can find the Stations of the Cross, which are pictures showing Jesus's journey. There are also several statues, including ones of the Virgin Mary. The ceiling above the altar has many beautiful images. The area around the altar, called the sanctuary, was changed in the 1960s. This was to fit the new way of celebrating Mass that came after the Second Vatican Council. This included moving the altar so the priest could face the people during the service.
