Beneath the London sky stands Our Lady of Lourdes, a testament to faith and architectural beauty. Have you ever wondered how a church can embody both history and community spirit? Let me tell you about Our Lady of Lourdes in Wanstead.
Our Lady of Lourdes began as a small mission in 1849. It expanded from Walthamstow to Leytonstone. The population grew with the arrival of the railways. The area was then under the Arch-Diocese of Westminster. There was no Diocese of Brentwood yet.
In 1909, Father William O’Grady bought a small brick building. It was in Hall Road, now Gardner Close Estate. Previously a Methodist church, it became a greengrocer’s before its demolition in 1966. A parishioner remembered attending Mass there as a child.
In December 1917, the Sisters of Mercy opened a convent in Cambridge Park at Father O’Grady’s invitation. The stables transformed into a temporary church. This humble mission evolved into the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Father Basil Booker became the first Parish Priest on August 4, 1919. He secured a market garden in Cambridge Park for a permanent church.
Arthur Doubleday, Bishop of Brentwood, blessed the foundation stone in July 1927. The center aisle was completed, and the church opened on October 13, 1928. Months later, the altar was consecrated. Stations of the Cross, painted by Father Booker’s father, were blessed.
The east aisle opened in 1934. The west aisle opened on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1940. Father Booker initially lived with a local family. He bought a house in Wellesley Road in 1922.
The presbytery was built next to Our Lady of Lourdes Church in 1931. The first school lessons were held in the server’s Sacristy until Our Lady of Lourdes School opened in 1961.
Father James Hemming became the second Parish Priest in 1952. He raised funds for a hall. However, a school was needed more. The school opened in January 1961 and was formally opened in September 1962.
Mgr Christopher Creede became Parish Priest in 1970. He rearranged the Sanctuary with a new altar and ambo. The church was redecorated for its Golden Jubilee in 1978.
After 30 years, Mgr Creede retired on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in 2000. Father Patrick Sammon became the fourth Parish Priest.
Father Sammon built the Pastoral Centre next to Our Lady of Lourdes Church. It included meeting rooms and a hall for parish events.
Bishop Alan Williams blessed two new statues of Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernadette in a grotto by the church on February 11, 2022.
Canon Patrick Sammon passed away on September 16, 2022. After 22 years as parish priest.
Our Lady of Lourdes Church stands in Neo-Gothic style. The exterior features red brick with cream stone edgings. Inside, a nave has two aisles on either side. A choir balcony sits above the entrance. The interior walls are whitewashed. An elaborate stone gothic altarpiece stands behind the altar.
Two stained glass windows adorn the left aisle side chapel. They were installed during a major restoration that included a relocated tabernacle and a new stone altar. A large crucifix is stationed above the new altar. In 2019, new hand-painted Stations of the Cross were commissioned. They were installed around the church.
Today, Our Lady of Lourdes stands not just as a building. It stands as a vibrant parish with a rich history and a strong community. Its evolution reflects the changing face of Wanstead. It embodies the enduring strength of faith.