Laying the Foundations

In June 1994, as soon as the old church had been demolished the site was levelled and a layer of hardcore made from the bricks of the old church was put down.

Because of the problems encountered with foundations in the past, deep piles were sunk to a depth of 20 metres to ensure that this time, the church would have a sure foundation!

The Foundation Stone

On June 19th 1994 Bishop Vincent Nichols (now Archbishop of Westminster) laid the foundation stone for the new church. The silver trowel had originally been used in 1923 by Cardinal Bourne to lay the foundation stone of the old church. The picture shows Fr. Aidan McGing, parish priest, carrying the Foundation Stone while the trowel is held ready for the ceremony. Today the stone and the trowel can be seen in the narthex.

June 19th: Bishop Vincent lays the Foundation Stone

As soon as the piling was completed, visible signs of construction became more evident. Strange concrete shapes began to appear on the ground. (July 3rd, 1994)

A few days later a huge crane raised its head above Flower Lane...