The Roman Catholic Parish of St Ninian's Wooler...
St. Mary's Rev. David Tanner Tel: 01665 574 240 |
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Situated on Burnhouse Road, at the northern end of the High Street, the history of St. Ninian's goes back to 1792 when Mrs Jane Silvertop, a member of the old Catholic family of Ministeracres Estate near Hexham, came to reside at Earle. She was a daughter of Charles Selby, a well known recusant and Jacobite supporter. She named her new house "Saint Ninian's", located just outside the town of Wooler, and designated the top floor as a chapel, Ninian being a 5th Century Bishop, reputed to have preached to the Picts in South West Scotland and the Border area. By 1850 Bishop Hogarth sent three priests to develop St. Ninian's as a mission centre and retreat house for the North of England and planning to build of a church dedicated to St. Ninian commenced. The new church was opened on the Feast of John the Baptist, 1856, and has continued to serve the people of the area to the present day. In 1974 it was decided that the parish of St. Edward, Lowick and that of St. Ninian, Wooler should be served by one priest. In 1998 the parish of Our Lady Pressures on agriculture and rural depopulation have caused numbers to declined somewhat, in recent years but the parish maintains a lively social life and welcoming outreach. Mass Times Holydays Confessions are heard on request before mass.
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Immaculate (St. Mary's), Whittingham, was added. Father David Tanner, the present parish priest has been in residence there, since 1988.
