St Joseph & St Francis Xavier
Roman Catholic Church
Richmond, North Yorkshire
St Joseph & St Francis Xavier Church - Brief History
The first Catholic Church in Richmond after the Catholic Relief Acts in 1778 and 1791 (before which time the practice of Catholicism was outlawed) came into being with the arrival in Richmond in 1794 of Fr Thomas Austin Lawson OSB, a Benedictine monk of Downside. Fr. Thomas was recalled to his monastery in 1814.
He was succeeded by Fr Robert Johnson S.J. the first of a long line of Jesuit priests in charge of the parish. Robert Johnson was a strong young man, well able to cope with the many difficulties of the parish. There were no westward limits and he often had to travel on horseback to say Mass at Ivelet, Gunnerside and Marrick.
The following is an extract from "Richmond in the 1830s" as remembered by William Wise and as appeared in the Richmond Chronicle of 1888.
"The Catholic Chapel was at the west end of Newbiggin and adjoined the priest's house. Good, kind, benevolent Father Johnson had officiated for more than half a century. He was a model priest full of tender loving sympathy not only for his own flock but for all who sought his aid. He lived in the esteem and affection of his neighbours irrespective of creed. He made no enemies and his name was never mentioned other than with reverence and respect. I am glad to see that in the new church erected on this site within the last 20 years a memorial window has been place in his honour."
Father Johnson died in 1865 and is buried in the Convent cemetery.
In 1866 Father William Strickland became Parish Priest. He appointed George Goldie, the architect already working on the building of the convent, to design the new church. He arranged to use the same builder and stone from the same quarry. The new church, which was opened in 1868, was generally agreed to be impressive and very fine. It was also very expensive, put the parish into massive debt and Father Strickland into considerable trouble with his superiors. His parishioners objected to the size of the debt, in particular to the building of the school which they felt could have been provided more cheaply. This building is now our parish hall.
The pulpit was a gift from a Mrs Fielding in memory of her husband Gabriel, a local solicitor. The Stations of the Cross, put up by Fr Strickland, were replaced by 'alto-relievo' designs based on ancient Flemish paintings. They are believed to be the best of this style in the British Isles. They were a gift from Lady Alice and Lady Charlotte Dundas in memory of their mother, the honourable Mrs Dundas.
The last Jesuit parish priest was Fr Edmund Swift. In 1961 the care of the parish and the properties that belonged to it were transferred to the Diocese of Middlesborough.
From 1st January 2024, four catholic churches were amalgamated to form The Dales Catholic Parish.
Wycliffe, St Mary
Richmond, Ss. Joseph and Francis Xavier
Leyburn, Ss. Peter and Paul
Ulshaw Bridge, Ss. Simon and Jude
Further information on its history can be found at the back of the church