THE P RTAL
April 2014
Page 9
the USAAF Eighth Air Force. An air raid shelter still
Walking round the Hall, one is constantly aware that
remains in the grounds, and on the top floor war-time the floor boards, the wall panelling and the brickwork,
graffiti still adorn the walls. Sawston Hall features in date from a time when it was very dangerous to be a
Michael Winner’s 1971 film “The Nightcomers”.
Catholic. How many anxious people feared for their
lives at Sawston Hall? How many sleepless nights were
restored in true Tudor style
spent wondering if the Persuviants would arrive to
In 1982 the Huddleston family sold the hall and it search the house? How many clandestine celebrations
became a language school. In 2010 Stephen Coates of Mass took place here? How many priests hid in the
bought the Hall and set about restoring both it and priest hole, only too aware that the Persuviants were
the gardens in true Tudor style. It is a wonderful searching the house and that any noise, any false move
achievement of love and care.
would result in total disaster?
centre of Jesuit missionary activity
The Chapel at Sawston Hall is a particularly special
As we walked round the Hall and gardens, Stephen place. Mass has been said here in modern times, and
told me some of the Hall’s history. At the height who can count the number of prayers offered here for
of the struggle between Reformation and Counter the conversion of England? Perhaps no one has done
Reformation in England, Sawston Hall had a key role more to further the cause of Sawston Hall than Canon
as a centre of Jesuit missionary activity - the celebrated Tim Russ. His distant ancestor, John Huddleston, had
Fr John Gerard SJ, making it a base.
sheltered Mary Tudor at Sawston, and Fr Tim did all he
could to turn Sawston into a Christian heritage centre.
Having ascended the staircase to the priest hole, Although he never quite managed this, he did spend
Stephen unveiled the hide. It is provided with a modern many happy hours at Sawston Hall, and said Mass in
electric light. One could stand up inside, and even sit the chapel. He died in June 2013.
down, but not lay flat. It was made by the Jesuit lay
brother St Nicholas Owen. He was a master-carpenter a wonderful opportunity
Now Sawston Hall is on the market again and
and builder. He died under torture in the Tower in 1606
having probably done more than anyone to ensure the Sawston Hall Heritage has an opportunity to secure
survival of English Catholicism. He never revealed the the purchase of the Hall. His Eminence Cardinal
whereabouts of any of the many “hides” he had made. Cormac Murphy-O‘Connor is Patron of the appeal to
save Sawston Hall. He told The Portal, “Sawston Hall
St John Rigby
is a wonderful building, rich in history and full of
A second canonised saint is even more closely interest.”
associated with the Hall. This is St John Rigby. He was
a layman who was hanged drawn and quartered in
This is indeed a beautifully renovated Grade 1
Southwark in 1600 for having been reconciled to the listed 16th century Hall with much Catholic history
Church. He had served the Huddlestons as steward associated with it. It was a great privilege to be allowed
or, as we would say, estate manager. The magnificent to see its splendours, and I am immensely grateful to
Great Hall is complete with Elizabethan panelling Stephen Coates for his generosity and time in s