Chelmsford: Canonesses celebrate 370 years

party spills out on the lawn

This weekend, at New Hall School in Chelmsford, a Community of Catholic Nuns - the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, launched a year long series of celebrations to mark the 370th year since their foundation.

Sunday 7 October 2012 marked the start of a Jubilee Year, the 370th year since Foundation for the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, a group of Religious sisters who, until recently, lived at New Hall School in Boreham. This Jubilee Year was launched on Sunday at New Hall, with the opening of an exhibition which shows the history of the Religious Community and its present day life. The Community were joined by around 300 people - new friends and old.

The memories of some 200 past students and staff have been gathered into a book, 'Fishy Tales' which is now on sale. The name of the book coming from the term for a former student of New Hall School; 'Old Fishes', which comes from the time of Catholic persecution in mainland Europe, the founding Religious Community were forced to leave the Low Countries and to move to England. Whilst they were seeking a suitable venue in England, the nuns referred to students as "Fishes" in their correspondence, so as not to alert the authorities.

The beginnings of the Religious Community was in Liege in the Low Countries, (modern day Belgium), where in 1642 a young English woman, Susan Hawley, founded the English community. They relocated to Essex in 1799 and, with the exception of a few years of evacuation during WW2, they remained at New Hall until the first years of this century. At that time the first lay Principal of the school, Mrs Katherine Jeffrey, was appointed. The community is now present in three places, Colchester on the edge of the Greenstead estate, in Custom House in East London, and in Melbourne, Chelmsford. Their work is varied but mainly focussed on the locality in which they live, where they try to share with others something of their Christian faith, the joy and new life of the Resurrection. The community is part of a world-wide Association of Religious sisters, other communities being situated in other countries in Europe, in Africa, & in South America.

Deputy Principal, Mrs Joy Hopkinson said:"At New Hall, our ethos is inspired by the founding Religious Community, the Canonesses of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. The faith which lies at the heart of this foundation remains essential to the character of the school today.

"We are delighted to be able to celebrate the 370th anniversary of the founding on this special day and are keen to look forward to the continued education at New Hall School and the work of the Religious Community in Essex, East London and beyond".

During the next twelve months there will be many commemorative events, several of which are open to anyone who is interested. The final celebration in October 2013, will take place in Chelmsford Cathedral.

For more information see: www.canonesses.co.uk