Foundation In 1795, Robert Cary Elwes, a family member of
John Elwes, bought
Billing Hall. In 1866, his grandson, Valentine Cary Elwes inherited the hall. He was the father of
Gervase Elwes and
Dudley Cary-Elwes, who was later the Catholic
Bishop of Northampton. In 1874, the family converted to
Catholicism. Shortly afterwards, a
chapel was built in Billing Hall.
Construction In 1878, Our Lady of Perpetual Help was built. It replaced the chapel in the hall and was paid for by Valentine Cary Elwes. It was built in the
Romanesque Revival style and has a handcrafted copy of the icon of
Our Lady of Perpetual Help installed above the altar. In 1926, the
aisles were added. In 1994, an
aedicula was added to the
Lady Chapel. It was built by Ormsby of Scarisbrick who also did work on
Our Lady of Sorrows Church in
Bognor Regis. Buried in the church cemetery are Valentine Cary Elwes,
Gervase Elwes,
Bishop Dudley Cary-Elwes and Gervase's son and parish priest of Our Lady's Church, Monsignor Valentine Elwes. ==Parish==