Church of Our Lady and St Andrew is a former Roman Catholic church in The Grove, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The church is now in private ownership.

History

During the 19th-century, the influx of workers for the new prison establishment, and the construction of the breakwaters of

Portland Harbour Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England. Construction of the harbour began in 1849; when completed in 1872, its surface area made it the largest man-made harbour in the world, and rema ...

, led to the need for a Catholic church. Designed by the prolific English architect

Joseph Hansom Joseph Aloysius Hansom (26 October 1803 – 29 June 1882) was a British architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style. He invented the Hansom cab and founded the eminent architectural journal, ''The Builder'', in 1843. Career Ha ...

, the church was erected at Grove Road in 1868 by George Poole, and dedicated to Our Lady and St Andrew. George Poole became the first Priest in Charge, while the longest serving priest was its sixth - Walter Keily - who served between 1881-1930. There would be eighteen priests serving the church from its opening to closure in total, with two assistant priests operating at separate times from 1868 to 1873, when Poole was the parish priest. From the late 19th century and into the 20th century, the church's main offering revolved around two Sunday services. Sailors would have a service at 9am, whilst another would follow immediately after at 10:30am for the military and civilians. Right from the opening of the church, it proved a valuable establishment for the community as well as to the various Regiments in Garrison and the Royal Navy. It was supported and used by the community right up until the end of the 20th century, including Portland's three prisons -

HM Prison The Verne HM Prison The Verne is a Category C men's prison, located within the historic Verne Citadel, on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. Operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, HMP The Verne was established in 1949 and occupies the southern ...

HM Prison Weare HMP ''Weare'' was an Adult Male/Category C prison ship berthed in Portland Harbour in Dorset, England. It was the latest in a lengthy history of British prison ships, which included HMS ''Maidstone'', used as a prison during Operation Demetrius ...

, and the Young Offender's Institution. The church's future remained uncertain until 2008 when Christopher Budd, Bishop of Plymouth, decreed that the parishes of Our Lady & St Andrew, Portland, St Augustine, Weymouth and

St Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...

, Weymouth, be united to form a new parish, Our Lady Star of the Sea. The Church of Our Lady and St Andrew would then be subsequently sold around 2011.

References

External links

List of Priests who have served at the Church of Our Lady and St Andrew

{{Diocese of Plymouth Isle of Portland Roman Catholic churches in Dorset 1868 establishments in England Redundant churches Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth