Overview

An account of the revival of Catholicism in Bedfordshire from 1700 to 1900, including a selection of key documents and relevant registers. This volume draws on a range of evidence to illustrate the revival and growth of Catholicism in Bedfordshire between 1700 and 1900. Active opposition to such a revival was only to be expected in Bunyan's county and the volume tells how this was gradually overcome, so that by the end of the period a number of Catholic churches had been well established across the county. Their growth is illustrated by the detailed baptism, marriage and death registers for Shefford (1770s-1850s), Bedford (1860s-1900) and Leighton Buzzard (1890s-1900), that are included and that provide an invaluable source of information about the make-up of the congregations. The account is also enriched by the inclusion of key original documents, correspondence, visitation reports and newspaper accounts. We can also see the contributions made to this growth by national and local individuals, from trades people to members of the nobility, who contributed to the building of a number of local churches and the support of the clergy. The county also became the home of a small diocesan theological college and a nationally recognised boys' orphanage and home. The invaluable work of members of the clergy is examined, along with their contribution to reducing the longstanding anti-Catholicism that had existed across the county. Much remained to be done, but much had also been accomplished.

Full Product Details

Author:   Peter Doyle ,  Nicola Avery
Publisher:   Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Imprint:   Bedfordshire Historical Record Society
Weight:   0.724kg
ISBN:  

9780851550862

ISBN 10:   085155086
Pages:   272
Publication Date:   01 April 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
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Language:   English

Table of Contents

Preliminaries       Illustrations       Tables       Foreword (Bishop of Northampton)       Acknowledgements       Abbreviations       Primary and secondary sources       Introductory notes 1. Introduction and religious background 2. Catholicism in early eighteenth century England 3. Moving slowly towards liberalism 4. Shefford, 'a cheerful and pleasantly situated town' 5. The national context and issues of legal equality 6. Ups and downs in Bedfordshire 7. Fresh fields and new harvests 8. 'Orphans and ordinands' 9. Elsewhere in Bedfordshire 10. Education and schools 11. The end of a beginning Registers:       Shefford, early mission registers 1770s-1859       Bedford, The Church of the Holy Child and St Joseph, registers 1864-1900       Leighton Buzzard registers, 1895 - 1900 Bibliography Indexes

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Author Information

PETER DOYLE has published widely on Roman Catholic history of the British Isles in both books and academic articles. He is also an experienced editor, having been for some years principal editor of the Catholic Record Society (crs.org.uk); he is currently on its editorial board and those of the North West Catholic History Society and the Bedfordshire Historical Record Society. BHRS author and editor (2014-23)

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