St Wilfrid's history
From the birth of the parish to the renovation of the church in modern times
The founding of A mission in walworth
From about 1845 the area west of the Walworth Road had developed as housing for a mixed population. There was a need to care spiritually for the Catholics among them and so a mission was established in the area known then as South Walworth or Newington, supplied from St George's Cathedral.
At first a temporary chapel was used: Mass was first offered here on Rosary Sunday, 2 October 1904, by Bishop Amigo. The first Baptism was administered in January 1905. In 1905 the first parish priest could be appointed and in the same year a Miss Frances Ellis purchased the land on which the church is now built and gave it to the Diocese of Southwark.
On this land was a small stable building, which opened as a chapel for the parish on 3 November 1905. Miss Ellis was in fact the benefactress of about 20 Catholic churches in south London including St Bede's Clapham Park, and St Gertrude's, Bermondsey South; all, like St Wilfrid's, were dedicated to English saints.
The stable on Lorrimore Road, converted to a chapel, remains as the lower sacristy of today's church. Fr George Palmer, the first parish priest, fervently prayed for a larger and more worthy building. To this end he asked the congregation to join in the devotion of seven Sundays to Saint Joseph. In 1914 Mr Henry Smail, a lawyer from Wimbledon, and his wife, provided the answer to these prayers by donating £5,000.
At first a temporary chapel was used: Mass was first offered here on Rosary Sunday, 2 October 1904, by Bishop Amigo. The first Baptism was administered in January 1905. In 1905 the first parish priest could be appointed and in the same year a Miss Frances Ellis purchased the land on which the church is now built and gave it to the Diocese of Southwark.
On this land was a small stable building, which opened as a chapel for the parish on 3 November 1905. Miss Ellis was in fact the benefactress of about 20 Catholic churches in south London including St Bede's Clapham Park, and St Gertrude's, Bermondsey South; all, like St Wilfrid's, were dedicated to English saints.
The stable on Lorrimore Road, converted to a chapel, remains as the lower sacristy of today's church. Fr George Palmer, the first parish priest, fervently prayed for a larger and more worthy building. To this end he asked the congregation to join in the devotion of seven Sundays to Saint Joseph. In 1914 Mr Henry Smail, a lawyer from Wimbledon, and his wife, provided the answer to these prayers by donating £5,000.
the church is built, destroyed and rebuilt
The building was completed in eighteen months and the first Mass celebrated on Sunday 7 November 1915. It was described in an Official Guide for Southwark as "a pleasing Late Gothic composition in red brick".
The first visitation of the parish took place in November 1915. During Fr Palmer’s time the two stone altars were also donated by the Smail family. The Lady altar was erected in memory of Henry Smail who died in 1915. Fr Palmer was succeeded by Fr George Boniface (assisted by Fr Walter Stone) from 1920 to 1923 and then by Fr Leon Bourdelot (assisted by his brother Fr Edgar, until his death in 1945) from 1923 until 1947.
At the beginning of Fr Boniface's time in 1920 the mission at St Wilfrid's became officially a parish. During the same era the very fine Stations of the Cross were erected. In 1929 an organ was installed in memory of Fr Palmer and a statue of St Joseph placed in a niche of the church tower. The records show numbers attending Sunday Mass rising from around four hundred before the First World War to six hundred by the mid 1920s. Then came the Second World War in 1939 with a great loss of attendance in consequence.
At 2.30 a.m on 16 November 1940 St Wilfrid's was struck by, it is thought, an anti-aircraft shell during an enemy air raid. The Church was ruined: half the roof and the wall near the entrance were blown away, the organ completely destroyed and the windows and doors ripped apart. Even the tabernacle was dented and the damage to the high altar rails can be seen to this day. The presbytery also suffered much damage. The Church was unusable until June 1941.
In 1947 the very industrious Fr Michael Moriarty was appointed parish priest and with the help of the War Damage Commission the church was restored in 1948-1949. By 1951 Bishop Cowderoy was able to note after his visitation:
"I left the parish after a most encouraging visitation with a sense that great things will be accomplished, with God's help, in this parish. The people clung to their church in very dismal times and they are a good and fervent people."
Further extensive repairs and renovations were made to the church from 1957 to 1959 thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of the people of Saint Wilfrid's as well as the great generosity of their Anglican and other non-Catholic neighbours. The Church was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Cowderoy on 14 June 1960.
The first visitation of the parish took place in November 1915. During Fr Palmer’s time the two stone altars were also donated by the Smail family. The Lady altar was erected in memory of Henry Smail who died in 1915. Fr Palmer was succeeded by Fr George Boniface (assisted by Fr Walter Stone) from 1920 to 1923 and then by Fr Leon Bourdelot (assisted by his brother Fr Edgar, until his death in 1945) from 1923 until 1947.
At the beginning of Fr Boniface's time in 1920 the mission at St Wilfrid's became officially a parish. During the same era the very fine Stations of the Cross were erected. In 1929 an organ was installed in memory of Fr Palmer and a statue of St Joseph placed in a niche of the church tower. The records show numbers attending Sunday Mass rising from around four hundred before the First World War to six hundred by the mid 1920s. Then came the Second World War in 1939 with a great loss of attendance in consequence.
At 2.30 a.m on 16 November 1940 St Wilfrid's was struck by, it is thought, an anti-aircraft shell during an enemy air raid. The Church was ruined: half the roof and the wall near the entrance were blown away, the organ completely destroyed and the windows and doors ripped apart. Even the tabernacle was dented and the damage to the high altar rails can be seen to this day. The presbytery also suffered much damage. The Church was unusable until June 1941.
In 1947 the very industrious Fr Michael Moriarty was appointed parish priest and with the help of the War Damage Commission the church was restored in 1948-1949. By 1951 Bishop Cowderoy was able to note after his visitation:
"I left the parish after a most encouraging visitation with a sense that great things will be accomplished, with God's help, in this parish. The people clung to their church in very dismal times and they are a good and fervent people."
Further extensive repairs and renovations were made to the church from 1957 to 1959 thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of the people of Saint Wilfrid's as well as the great generosity of their Anglican and other non-Catholic neighbours. The Church was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Cowderoy on 14 June 1960.
The visitation of Bishop Cowderoy in 1960. The high-rise buildings of the Brandon Estate, built in 1958, are visible in the background
The church is consecrated by Bishop Cowderoy
the church is restored
Shortly after its centenary, a programme to entirely restore the fabric of St Wilfrid's was launched in 2016. The works, which were made possible by the the generosity of the diocese and support of the parish, lasted two years.
During this time specialist craftsmen and volunteers worked to entirely restore church's interior and exterior.
The high altar was renovated, with the reredos repainted and regilded, and similar work undertaken in the Lady chapel. The intricate stonework of the pulpit, altar rails and baptismal font were cleaned, the statuary restored and the interior plaster and ceiling repaired and repainted. Many other spaces including the sacristies, the narthex, the confessional and crying chapel were restored. The gallery below shows the extent of the works, which were started under Fr Vincent and completed during the time of Fr Tomasz in 2018.
During this time specialist craftsmen and volunteers worked to entirely restore church's interior and exterior.
The high altar was renovated, with the reredos repainted and regilded, and similar work undertaken in the Lady chapel. The intricate stonework of the pulpit, altar rails and baptismal font were cleaned, the statuary restored and the interior plaster and ceiling repaired and repainted. Many other spaces including the sacristies, the narthex, the confessional and crying chapel were restored. The gallery below shows the extent of the works, which were started under Fr Vincent and completed during the time of Fr Tomasz in 2018.
In 2025 the restoration of the presbytery, St Wilfrid's Cottage, 97 Lorrimore Road, was completed. For the first time in many years the priest now resides next to the church.
The best way to appreciate the beauty of our restored church and to learn more about its history is by paying us a visit: please see directions and Mass times.
The best way to appreciate the beauty of our restored church and to learn more about its history is by paying us a visit: please see directions and Mass times.
safeguarding our church for the future
As it embarks upon its next 100 years, St Wilfrid's relies on the continued support of volunteers and donors, both within and beyond the parish. If would like to help, please click here
