Saint Clare

Introduction

During the war years, the parish priest at Aldeburgh established a monthly Mass at Framlingham in the Corn Hall.

History

After the Corn Hall was incorporated into the Crown Hotel, the location for Mass moved to the Crown and Anchor, sharing premises with the Odd Fellows' Society. In the early 1950s, land was purchased in Fore Street, Framlingham, and a wooden building advertised as suitable for use as a poultry-rearing house was purchased in Hadleigh and transported to Framlingham to become the new Catholic church. Mass was first celebrated in the wooden church on 21st July 1953. In 1973, the Franciscans announced they would close their friary at East Bergholt and the community would move to Canterbury, and it seemed Saint Clare's would close.

The parish priest at Woodbridge devised a plan whereby local clergy would take turns to celebrate Sunday Mass at Framlingham. From 1985 until his death in 1992, a priest regularly celebrated Mass for the community at Saint Clare's Church on Sundays and Holy Days. The foundation stone of the new Saint Clare's Church was laid on 13th July 2003. In July 1981, when a new parish priest became parish priest of Woodbridge, the pastoral care of the church community at Framlingham was formally joined to the parish of Woodbridge, becoming the Parish of Woodbridge with Framlingham.