Roman Catholic Chaplaincy, Wootton Wawen

[kateblogs]

Hi, I've found a baptism for my g,g,g,g grandmother in 1804 at the Roman Catholic Chaplaincy in Wootton Wawen. Does anyone know were or what this was?

I've found the current chapel which dates from 1904, and an earlier chapel built behind Wootton Hall in 1813, but in 1804, as far as I can tell the Catholic chapel was in the dining room of the hall, so is it likely it would have been open for all baptisms? I'm guessing not, and the chaplaincy was somewhere else.

Any help would be much appreciated!

[Mean_genie]

Warwickshire was one of the places where many people remained faithful to the catholic religion after the Reformation. The Smyth(e) family who owned Wootton Hall were also catholics (Mrs Fitzherbert, who married George IV, was a relative of theirs) and allowed catholic villagers to worship in their private chapel in the hall until they had a church of their own again.

[kateblogs]

Ah, so it is possible that the baptism was performed in the chapel within the hall. Thank you! That's really helpful.

[Mean_genie]

Highly likely if the date is early enough. Allegedly, there was a ‘priest’s hole’ somewhere in the hall, which is plausible as the walls are certainly thick enough. There is a nod to the connection with Mrs Fitzherbert in one of the rooms where there is a stained glass panel of Prince of Wales feathers over the door. The hall was in a state if disrepair in the 1950s, but was rescued by the proprietor of Allen's Caravans, and is now a country club.