Stonyhurst unveil plan for Christian Heritage Centre

l-r: John Cowdall, Ilyas Khan, Lady Windsor and Andrew Johnson

Stonyhurst College, the Jesuit boarding school in Lancashire, held a reception in the Speakers’ Apartments at the Palace of Westminster recently, to introduce its historic collection of sacred artefacts. Curator Jan Graffius talked about the collection, which includes precious vestments, silver, manuscripts and relics, many of which were rescued during the English Reformation and held in trust at the College ever since.

The extensive collection is currently housed in libraries at Stonyhurst; the idea of a new Christian Heritage Centre was introduced, which would considerably widen access to the collection.

In attendance were the Anglican Bishop of Blackburn; Professor David Khalili; the historian, Lord Hennesy; Baroness Cox, Lord and Lady Guthrie; Lord Alton; Lady Nicholas Windsor and Nigel Evans (Deputy Speaker and Ribble Valley MP) along with MPs from all parties, including Dr.John Pugh, Frank Field, Jon Cruddas and Edward Leigh.

Stonyhurst’s Headmaster, Andrew Johnson and Chairman of Governors, John Cowdall also attended, as did the Papal Nuncio, the English Heritage Chairman, Baroness (Kay) Andrews and historian Paul Johnson, a former pupil of Stonyhurst.

For more information on Stonyhurst see: www.stonyhurst.ac.uk/page/default.asp?title=Home&pid=1