Hidden amongst the bustling streets of Soho stands Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory. This unassuming brick church holds a captivating history. It’s the oldest Catholic church in England excluding those repurposed as Anglican churches then returned to Catholic use. Our Lady of the Assumption wasn’t always located here on Warwick Street.
Its origins trace back to a chapel within the Portuguese Embassy in the 1730s. This was a time of the English Penal Laws when Catholic chapels often sought refuge within foreign embassies. The most famous ambassador was the Marquis de Pombal a powerful figure in Portugal. The chapel served not only embassy officials but a wide swathe of London’s Catholic community. Five chaplains far more than needed for the embassy staff ministered there.
In 1747 responsibility shifted to the Bavarian embassy. Sadly the chapel was ravaged during the Gordon Riots of 1780. Count Haslang claimed a substantial sum for the damages. Only the facade suffered structural damage. Yet from this destruction rose something remarkable.
In 1788 Joseph Bonomi the Elder a renowned Italian architect designed a replacement church. This was to be under the Vicar Apostolic of the London District. Prominent Catholics contributed generously to its funding. The Elector of Bavaria himself Karl Theodor expressed his satisfaction that the chapel helped preserve religion. Bavarian financial support continued until 1871. Prayers for the Bavarian king were said routinely in the church which was known as the Royal Bavarian Chapel. The new Our Lady of the Assumption was consecrated in 1790 on the feast of St Gregory the Great.
John Francis Bentley later architect of Westminster Cathedral was involved in later alterations. His influence is evident in the Marian side altar and the sanctuary. The sanctuary’s Coronation of the Virgin Mary apse reflects early Roman basilica design. This is truly special.
Our Lady of the Assumption has witnessed history. Queen Mary prayed here before a statue of Our Lady a copy from the Rue du Bac in Paris. She sent flowers weekly until her death. Many prominent Catholics attended Queen Maria II da Gloria for example. Even Mrs Fitzherbert George IV’s morganatically married wife worshipped here. Cardinal Newman considered Our Lady of the Assumption a superior place of worship to St Paul’s Cathedral. Sir Richard Burton and Evelyn Waugh both married within its walls. Even Ralph Richardson’s funeral mass was held here.
In the 21st century Our Lady of the Assumption hosted successful LGBT Catholic masses. These services ended in 2013. The church then became the central church of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Monsignor Keith Newton now resides at the presbytery. A rich choral tradition has been revived.
So here we stand before Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory. A church that has witnessed centuries of faith devotion and change. A testament to resilience and a beacon of worship in the heart of London.