A brief history of Our Lady of the Assumption Church
1947 |
A legacy is left by a Bosham resident, Miss Preece, and land is purchased to site a Catholic Church in Bosham. |
1951 |
A disused wooden church in Kent is bought, transported and put up by volunteers on the purchased land. |
1952 |
28 December: Mass is celebrated for the first time by the Southwark Travelling Mission. Mass is said every six weeks at the church. |
Mid 50s |
The Bosham Church officially comes under the Parish of Chichester. |
1957 |
Fr Fox, Parish Priest, lays out ambitious plans to improve the churches in his parish. |
1968 |
Building for the present chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption begins with funds raised from the parish football pool, and with donations from parishioners. The existing wooden church on the site is dismantled and then put up at Blessed Philip Howard Catholic School in Barnham (to become St Philip Howard). |
1968 |
The Nutbourne Chapel of the Nativity is opened. |
1969 |
Work on the church nears completion at a cost of £30,000. The Chichester Observer describes the building as “ an outstanding example of modern architecture which fits in admirably with its surroundings”. |
1970 |
29 May: First Mass is celebrated and the church is officially opened by Bishop Cashman. |
2002 |
The chapel at Nutbourne is closed and furnishings and stained glass windows are moved to Our Lady of the Assumption. |
2005 |
Parish Priest, Fr Kieron O’Brien organises a project to open up and re-order the sanctuary. |
2008 |
Fr Kieron O’Brien starts a project to enhance the communal meeting area with the improvement of kitchen and toilet facilities. |
2016 |
A wooden crucifix is installed on the exterior of the church, and work starts on creating a Marian garden. |