How to find us
Click here for a map for the church of St Augustine (also known as St Austin's)
Click here for a map for the church of St Francis
Click here for a map for the church of St Augustine (also known as St Austin's)
Click here for a map for the church of St Francis
Parish History
The dissolution of the monasteries in the sixteenth century caused the destruction of the site of Catholic worship in Kenilworth. The faith was handed on by local Catholic families in the places of worship served courageously by Priests, known and unknown, many of whom witnessed to the faith by the sacrifice of their own lives. At the beginning of the 19th century the Catholic community of Kenilworth had no church and had to travel to Wappenbury for Mass. At that time the Amherst family moved to Fieldgate House and set aside a room within their home for worship, and invited local Catholics to join them. In 1841 the family commissioned the famous architect Augustus Welby Pugin to construct St Augustine's church close to their home. It was opened for worship in 1842, extended in 1852 and consecrated in 1904. Thereafter the Catholics of Kenilworth had the benefit of this compact and beautiful church.
By the late 1950s the growth of the Catholic community was such that all Masses at St Augustine's were very crowded. Arrangements were made for Mass to be said, originally in the lounge of the Green Man public house in Warwick Road, and then later in the bar. A number of town centre locations were considered in the hope that a new church could be built. As a result of further growth of the community, Father Archie Snell was appointed in 1964 as parish priest of the new parish of St Francis of Assisi. The present site, the known as Hotel Australia, was acquired in 1966 as a result of the generosity of parishioners and with funds previously raised. Rooms within the building were converted to form a chapel. The chapel was then extended to form the church hall which was used for Sunday Mass. In 1988, on the retirement of Father John Collins, the two parishes were amalgamated, with Father Anthony Rohan as parish priest. After widespread consultation it was decided that the new church, so long desired, should be built on the St Francis site. An extensive financial appeal produced great generosity from members of the parish in the form of covenants, pledges and regular giving, so much so that the parish was able to gain the approval of the Archbishop to begin the planning and design of the new church. Construction began in March 1992 and the church was competed in April 1993. The first Mass was said in our church on Maundy Thursday, April 7 1993, the blessing of the new church by Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville took place on 18 May 1993. With the new church prominently placed at the heart of Kenilworth, a decision was needed regarding the now deteriorating parish hall. Father Peter Foley arrived in 1996 and already plans were beginning to come together for a new parish building to provide a setting for social and community activities in a structure complementing the new church. Father Kevin Hooper came to the parish in July 1998 and the Parish Council was ready to proceed. Thanks to them and a Building Committee drawn from professional experts from the parish, the parish centre was first used in July 2000 in preparation for the Ordination to the priesthood of Father Richard Walker. This was the first Ordination in the parish since the nineteenth century. Both church and parish centre have taken their place in the Kenilworth townscape and are regularly used for both worship and the vast range of family, school, charitable and social events for parishioners and the wider community of the town and its surrounding area. With so much undertaken and achieved since Father Kane so boldly asserted in the 1960s that a new church would 'shortly be built', it is wonderful that such a spiritual and practical legacy should finally be offered in its entirety to Almighty God by the parishioners of Kenilworth for the future life of Catholic faith in this town.
- extract from 'The Solemn Dedication of St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Kenilworth', 4 October 2008.
The dissolution of the monasteries in the sixteenth century caused the destruction of the site of Catholic worship in Kenilworth. The faith was handed on by local Catholic families in the places of worship served courageously by Priests, known and unknown, many of whom witnessed to the faith by the sacrifice of their own lives. At the beginning of the 19th century the Catholic community of Kenilworth had no church and had to travel to Wappenbury for Mass. At that time the Amherst family moved to Fieldgate House and set aside a room within their home for worship, and invited local Catholics to join them. In 1841 the family commissioned the famous architect Augustus Welby Pugin to construct St Augustine's church close to their home. It was opened for worship in 1842, extended in 1852 and consecrated in 1904. Thereafter the Catholics of Kenilworth had the benefit of this compact and beautiful church.
By the late 1950s the growth of the Catholic community was such that all Masses at St Augustine's were very crowded. Arrangements were made for Mass to be said, originally in the lounge of the Green Man public house in Warwick Road, and then later in the bar. A number of town centre locations were considered in the hope that a new church could be built. As a result of further growth of the community, Father Archie Snell was appointed in 1964 as parish priest of the new parish of St Francis of Assisi. The present site, the known as Hotel Australia, was acquired in 1966 as a result of the generosity of parishioners and with funds previously raised. Rooms within the building were converted to form a chapel. The chapel was then extended to form the church hall which was used for Sunday Mass. In 1988, on the retirement of Father John Collins, the two parishes were amalgamated, with Father Anthony Rohan as parish priest. After widespread consultation it was decided that the new church, so long desired, should be built on the St Francis site. An extensive financial appeal produced great generosity from members of the parish in the form of covenants, pledges and regular giving, so much so that the parish was able to gain the approval of the Archbishop to begin the planning and design of the new church. Construction began in March 1992 and the church was competed in April 1993. The first Mass was said in our church on Maundy Thursday, April 7 1993, the blessing of the new church by Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville took place on 18 May 1993. With the new church prominently placed at the heart of Kenilworth, a decision was needed regarding the now deteriorating parish hall. Father Peter Foley arrived in 1996 and already plans were beginning to come together for a new parish building to provide a setting for social and community activities in a structure complementing the new church. Father Kevin Hooper came to the parish in July 1998 and the Parish Council was ready to proceed. Thanks to them and a Building Committee drawn from professional experts from the parish, the parish centre was first used in July 2000 in preparation for the Ordination to the priesthood of Father Richard Walker. This was the first Ordination in the parish since the nineteenth century. Both church and parish centre have taken their place in the Kenilworth townscape and are regularly used for both worship and the vast range of family, school, charitable and social events for parishioners and the wider community of the town and its surrounding area. With so much undertaken and achieved since Father Kane so boldly asserted in the 1960s that a new church would 'shortly be built', it is wonderful that such a spiritual and practical legacy should finally be offered in its entirety to Almighty God by the parishioners of Kenilworth for the future life of Catholic faith in this town.
- extract from 'The Solemn Dedication of St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Kenilworth', 4 October 2008.