History of the Chapel
|
The foundation stone of this Chapel was laid by William Bernard Ulathorne, Archbishop of Birmingham, In the year 1868, and was given the name of "Our Lady of the Assumption". The architect was Gilbert Blount, who was of the school of Pugin, and the builder was George H. Gouch. The cost of building the Chapel was £8,000.
It was commissioned to be built by Maria Teresa (nee Gandolfi), widow of Francis Fitzherbert, and her son Basil Fitzherbert. The stone from which the Chapel is built was quarried locally. The ground plan of the Church Is cruciform, the upright arm being formed by the nave and sanctuary of the Church, and the horizontal arm being formed by the tribune and sacristies. |
|
The frontispiece of the main altar depicts the adoration of the Lamb as described in the Book of the Apocalypse (Revelations) Chapter 5 verses 6-14. The gradine portrays the four evangelists together with the symbols by which they are known. Left to right they are:
St. Matthew, whose symbol is a man since he begins the history of Christ by tracing his human origin; Mark, whose emblem is a lion since he begins with the voice crying in the wilderness; Luke whose sign is the ox, the sacrificial animal, as he begins with the
priesthood of Zachary; and St. John, whose representative figure is the eagle since he rises from the earthly history of Christ to his divinity.
The reredos behind the gradine contains statues of (L to R) Our Lady, St Augustine of Canterbury, St Theresa of Avila, St Hilda of Northumbria, St Basil of Caesarea, and St. Joseph. The window behind the high altar has various pictures of the life of Our Lady.
The top central picture shows Our Lady being crowned Queen of Heaven; the central one shows the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven. The smaller ones to the right and left of this picture show the following Incidents (from left to right): the top line recalls the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel of the conception of Christ; the birth of Our Lord; the flight into Egypt; and the presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. The lower line commemorates: the marriage of St. Joseph and Our Lady; the visitation of Our Lady to Elizabeth; the adoration of the Magi; and the daily life of the Holy Family at Nazareth.
To the right of the sanctuary the window represents the charity of Emily Fitzherbert by depicting the visitations to the sick and the sorrow that she feels at the death of a small child whose soul is being carried to heaven by an angel. The brass plaque beneath tells that this picture was installed by her son, Basil.
To the right of the high altar there is a side altar which was erected by Basil to commemorate the death of his mother, Maria Teresa. The frontispiece represents Christ as the Good Shepherd. The window behind this altar was installed by Maria Fitzherbert in
memory of her husband Francis. The central picture represents St. Francis de Salles and the arms recall the families of Fitzherbert and Gandolfi. The brass plaque tells the installation of this window.
To the left of the high altar is the 'Tribune', a small chapel that is reserved exclusively for the Fitzherbert family. The window, though it states that it is in memory of Emma, 2nd wife of Basil Fitzherbert, has on the left side the arms of Fitzherbert, Stafford and
Jerningham, while on the right the arms of Earls of Stafford and the Duke of Buckingham, thus recalling to mind both wives of Basil Fitzherbert. His first wife was Emily Jerningham, who Inherited the Stafford Barony; he married Emma after Emily had died. The sculpture at the side of the windows, door and pillars recall various incidents In the Passion of Christ or those who took part in it. Beginning with the one on the left of the window the events recalled are: the Crowning with thorns: the stripping of Our Lord; St. John the Apostle; Our Lady; the carrying of the Cross; the scourging at the Pillar; Joseph of Arimathea; and Mary Magdalen.
The Papal head sculptured on the top right-hand pillar of the nave represents Pius IX, being the Pope of this period. Likewise, on the next pillar is the head of Ulathorne, the then Archbishop of Birmingham.
The brass plaque on the left wall of the nave was transferred from the private Chapel that served as a Mass Centre during the years of Catholic persecution which was situated in the house of the Fitzherberts until this building was dedicated.
The windows on the right of the nave recall the deaths of The Hon.Evelyn Fitzherbert, uncle of the present Lord Stafford, who was drowned in 1952 while serving in Egypt with the Grenadier Guards.
The arms are of that regiment. The next recalls the death of his grandfather The Hon. Thomas Fitzherbert, and the arms at the top are of the Fitzherbert family. The third, that nearest the back of the Church, recalls the death of Francis, 13th Baron Stafford and elder
brother of Thomas Fitzherbert.
This is one of the few remaining private Chapels in the British Isles. It Is open as a parish Mass Centre.
St. Matthew, whose symbol is a man since he begins the history of Christ by tracing his human origin; Mark, whose emblem is a lion since he begins with the voice crying in the wilderness; Luke whose sign is the ox, the sacrificial animal, as he begins with the
priesthood of Zachary; and St. John, whose representative figure is the eagle since he rises from the earthly history of Christ to his divinity.
The reredos behind the gradine contains statues of (L to R) Our Lady, St Augustine of Canterbury, St Theresa of Avila, St Hilda of Northumbria, St Basil of Caesarea, and St. Joseph. The window behind the high altar has various pictures of the life of Our Lady.
The top central picture shows Our Lady being crowned Queen of Heaven; the central one shows the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven. The smaller ones to the right and left of this picture show the following Incidents (from left to right): the top line recalls the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel of the conception of Christ; the birth of Our Lord; the flight into Egypt; and the presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. The lower line commemorates: the marriage of St. Joseph and Our Lady; the visitation of Our Lady to Elizabeth; the adoration of the Magi; and the daily life of the Holy Family at Nazareth.
To the right of the sanctuary the window represents the charity of Emily Fitzherbert by depicting the visitations to the sick and the sorrow that she feels at the death of a small child whose soul is being carried to heaven by an angel. The brass plaque beneath tells that this picture was installed by her son, Basil.
To the right of the high altar there is a side altar which was erected by Basil to commemorate the death of his mother, Maria Teresa. The frontispiece represents Christ as the Good Shepherd. The window behind this altar was installed by Maria Fitzherbert in
memory of her husband Francis. The central picture represents St. Francis de Salles and the arms recall the families of Fitzherbert and Gandolfi. The brass plaque tells the installation of this window.
To the left of the high altar is the 'Tribune', a small chapel that is reserved exclusively for the Fitzherbert family. The window, though it states that it is in memory of Emma, 2nd wife of Basil Fitzherbert, has on the left side the arms of Fitzherbert, Stafford and
Jerningham, while on the right the arms of Earls of Stafford and the Duke of Buckingham, thus recalling to mind both wives of Basil Fitzherbert. His first wife was Emily Jerningham, who Inherited the Stafford Barony; he married Emma after Emily had died. The sculpture at the side of the windows, door and pillars recall various incidents In the Passion of Christ or those who took part in it. Beginning with the one on the left of the window the events recalled are: the Crowning with thorns: the stripping of Our Lord; St. John the Apostle; Our Lady; the carrying of the Cross; the scourging at the Pillar; Joseph of Arimathea; and Mary Magdalen.
The Papal head sculptured on the top right-hand pillar of the nave represents Pius IX, being the Pope of this period. Likewise, on the next pillar is the head of Ulathorne, the then Archbishop of Birmingham.
The brass plaque on the left wall of the nave was transferred from the private Chapel that served as a Mass Centre during the years of Catholic persecution which was situated in the house of the Fitzherberts until this building was dedicated.
The windows on the right of the nave recall the deaths of The Hon.Evelyn Fitzherbert, uncle of the present Lord Stafford, who was drowned in 1952 while serving in Egypt with the Grenadier Guards.
The arms are of that regiment. The next recalls the death of his grandfather The Hon. Thomas Fitzherbert, and the arms at the top are of the Fitzherbert family. The third, that nearest the back of the Church, recalls the death of Francis, 13th Baron Stafford and elder
brother of Thomas Fitzherbert.
This is one of the few remaining private Chapels in the British Isles. It Is open as a parish Mass Centre.
