Sacred Heart of Jesus

Introduction

Before this church, the Kings Cliffe Riding Mission, 12 miles west of Peterborough, oversaw local Catholics; it closed in 1855, and Peterborough afterwards looked after Ramsey and the Fens until Ramsey’s Catholic church opened.

History

In 1859 a bishop’s visitation to Peterborough recorded Ramsey’s registered Catholic population as 113. Father Davies was the first Catholic priest resident in Ramsey since the Reformation; he served until 1866, when ill health led him to leave. Ramsey’s Catholic population stood at 400 in 1870. Father John Duff, the next pastor, opened a Mass centre in Huntingdon in 1872 and died in Ramsey in 1873.

That same priest insisted on burial in Peterborough, the remains travelled there by train for burial on May 8, and the inscription encountered anti-Catholic feeling. From 1876 until Father Wilson arrived in 1909, Ramsey’s church was virtually closed and its people were neglected from Huntingdon. On 13 August 1913 Father Wilson was replaced by the Reverend Frederick Williams Lockyer, previously the assistant priest at All Saints, Peterborough. After inquiries into repairs in November 1913, Father Lockyer began the restoration of Ramsey church, starting the work on 3 December with cleaning.

The Blessed Sacrament returned to Ramsey on 28 January 1914; Father Lockyer brought it on Wednesdays for Benediction in the evening, it remained overnight, and after morning Mass he took it back to Saint Michael the Archangel. Ramsey received a visitation from the Bishop of Northampton in February 1914. On 6 August 1914 Father Lockyer wrote that Ramsey would need to be left for a while, and Mass did not return to Ramsey until 30 October. Refugees from Belgium were camped at Ramsey Saint Marys, while a priest of the Schrut Missionaries, living in the Ramsey presbytery, cared for the Belgian Catholics and for Ramsey’s Catholics.

From 1918, when Father Lockyer left, Father Donald Heptomstall cared for Sacred Heart until 1919, when Ramsey joined the parish of March and was served from March until 1949. Ramsey was served by the Reverend Louis Allen from 1919 to 1922, by the Reverend Wallace Chase until 1936, and by the Reverend M.J. Flanagan until 1944. Ramsey was served from Saint Michael the Archangel, Huntingdon, from 1949 until 1966. A priest spent a year with Ramsey, and a further priest served there from 1949 for ten years.

In 1966 the Sacred Heart joined Whittlesey and was served by a canon until 1973. In 1973 the Sacred Heart rejoined the Huntingdon parish under the priest then responsible. From 1978 Ramsey was transferred again, to the parish of Whittlesey. A Dutch priest served Ramsey out of Whittlesey until 1982, leaving then for a parish in Cambridge.

Architecture and furnishings

Redecoration of the church was carried out, and the presbytery kitchen was improved, with repairs to walls and windows and other sanitary improvements. Alterations in the church and vestry were seen through by the priest who took over the parish in September 1982.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Children’s activities are arranged jointly by catechists at Saint Jude’s and Sacred Heart, once a month in term time. Catechesis for First Holy Communion and Confirmation is provided by the parish of Saint Jude’s and Sacred Heart.

Notable people and events

Miss F.K. Gregory of S Kensington organised cleaning and restoration at the Sacred Heart, working under the direction of the priest. Mrs Gregory learned the sacristan’s role from the priest, looked after the sanctuary, altars, vestments and linens, gave religious instruction, and acted as choir master, organist and cantor.