IoW CHS Publications
Publications by the Isle of Wight Catholic History Society
“Ryde to Rome“. £3-00
The unique account of how a wealthy convert, Elizabeth, Countess of Clare, went on the “Grand Tour” of Western Europe and became fascinated by what she saw and learnt about Catholicism as she visited the grand churches and cathedrals en route. She became a Catholic in St. Peter’s in Rome and returned to the Island in 1841 enthused with a zeal to build a church in Ryde.
St. Wilfrid – Patron of the Isle of Wight £2-00
The story of Wilfrid’s life and ministry and his evangelization of the Isle of Wight commencing in A.D. 686 when he landed at Brading
Life of William Ward – Victorian convert £2-50
Living through the days of the Oxford Movement, this convert to the Faith (and contemporary of Newman) was to play a pivotal role in the growth of Catholicism in West Wight. He had a beautiful family chapel at his home at Weston Manor, which served as the Mass Centre for West Wight, until his family built St. Saviour’s Church in 1923, almost adjacent to their Weston Manor.
Alfred Noyes – Catholic Poet & Writer £2-50
The life and times of this literary figure and another convert to Catholicism, who lived for much of his life here on the Island at Lisle Coombe, near Ventnor. He died in 1958 and is buried in the Catholic cemetery at Totland Bay.
Gugliemo Marconi on the Isle of Wight £2-00
This famous Italian scientist and inventor lived for a while here on the Island whilst undertaking telegraphic / communication experiments at Ventnor and at West Wight. He attended Mass at both St. Wilfrid’s and St. Saviour’s during his four years here (1897-1901)
Life of Helen Gladstone – Victorian convert £2-50
The sister of the famous Victorian statesman and another convert to the Faith at the time of the Oxford Movement, her life was a mix of optimism, fortitude, failure and despair. She became a Catholic in 1840, much to the annoyance of her staunchly Protestant brother, William, the Victorian statesman. She lived at different times at Bonchurch and at St. Helens. It was at the latter that she opened a chapel dedicated to St. Dominic. Cardinal Wiseman visited here in 1865. Poor health forced her to leave the Island and she died in 1880.
Church of the Sorrowful & Immaculate Heart of Mary £3-00
One of the foundation churches in the Diocese and steeped in Catholic history. Popularly known as St. Mary’s, it’s a rare example of a Catholic church in a High Street and with a crypt and a private family chapel. This is one of the finest early Victorian Catholic churches in the south of England, and was (for a brief period) the pro cathedral of the Diocese.
St. Dominic’s Priory, Carisbrooke £3-00
St. Dominic’s Priory was the first Post Reformation monastic establishment on the Island. Built in 1866 for the Dominicans by the Countess of Clare, it gave witness to the Faith for 123 years until its closure in 1989. It was in 1869 that Queen Victoria visited. This was the first royal visit to a Catholic monastic institution since the Reformation.
Elizabeth Heneage – Foundress of two Island churches £2-50
St. Thomas’s at Newport (1792) and at Cowes (1797)
An account of the life of this remarkable Catholic lady, who built these two churches, within five years. She is buried in St. Thomas’s, Newport.
St. Wilfrid’s Church, Ventnor – 150 years £3-00
This was the first church on the Island to be dedicated to the 7th century saint, bishop and missionary, who brought the faith to the Island in A.D. 686. Ventnor’s Catholic history recalls the struggles that Catholics had at the time in trying to build a church in the town and being thwarted by Protestant dislike of Catholics. Nevertheless they persevered and St. Wilfrid’s Church was opened in 1871.
Rev. Richard Sibthorpe – Anglican convert £1-50
An account of the life and times of the Anglican Vicar of St. James’s, Ryde, who caused much consternation, when he converted to Catholicism in 1841. Forced off the Island, he returned to his Anglican roots within two years; only to return again to the Catholic church in 1865. This is an account of his struggles with his conscience and the voices of the people around him telling him where his religious allegiance should lie.
Story of the Isle of Wight Martyrs £3-00
Two brave martyr priests met their death here on the Island, having been caught on the ship bringing them to England. The story of their lives and martyrdom emphasizes the faith and courage of so many of our English martyrs. Their memorial is outside St. Thomas of Canterbury Church, Cowes.
St. John Henry Newman and the Isle of Wight £3-00
An interesting booklet produced at the time of Newman’s canonization. It gives a detailed account of his two visits to the Island in 1861, when he stayed mainly at Ventnor and four year later in 1865 in Ryde. It is providential that the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, which has Newman as a co-patron, had an apostolate in St. Mary’s, Ryde for five years, where Newman once offered Mass.
“Praise through Poetry” £4-00
A collection of 62 poems, written by 18 different Islanders (almost all members of the Island CHS) on various aspects of their Faith, Life, Pilgrimage, the Liturgical year, the Sacraments of the Church and the beauty of God’s world.
Two Bishops of Portsmouth £3-00
John Baptist Cahill & William Cotter
Written by the same author – Dr. Paul Severn – the two books give an account of their lives from seminarians to the priesthood and finally to the episcopacy. These two bishops followed each other as curates and parish priests of St. Mary’s, Ryde, then as Vicar Generals and finally as Bishops. Bishop Cahill spent over 30 years in Ryde before becoming the second Bishop of Portsmouth (1900-1910). He is buried in Ryde cemetery. Bishop Cotter was a newly ordained Irish priest who came to Ryde as a young curate to Cahill and followed him as Rector of Ryde (1900) before becoming the 3rd Bishop of Portsmouth (1910-1940) on Cahill’s death. His 30 years as bishop were marked with the building of churches and schools and the steady growth of Catholic life thoughout the diocese.
St. Michael’s Church, Bembridge £2-50
Written at the time of the golden jubilee of the church in 2015, this booklet gives a unique insight into the growth of Catholicism in this coastal village and the strenuous efforts of both priests and people to build a church at a time when transport to Ryde and further afield for Mass was impossible for many Catholics
Holy Cross Church, Seaview £2-00
Built in 1957, this modest, little Catholic church served the needs of the small Catholic population of Seaview, which had no Sunday public transport to facilitate Mass in Ryde. It was providential that the building of this church co-incided with the Hungarian uprising against Communism (1956), as a large number of Hungarian refugees settled in the vicinity and were pleased to have a nearby Catholic church.
England: The Dowry of Mary
In light of the rededication of England as Mary’s Dowry our society has sponsored publication of a sumptuously illustrated 24 page A4 booklet by Edmund Matyjaszek. It is on sale for £3.50 (A5 size) or £5-00 (A4 size) from our society or from the author at emsREMOVE@emsbase.co.uk. Antonia Moffat from the Walsingham shrine writes about Ed’s book:- “Incredible … No one has ever put into words the meaning of England as Mary’s Dowry as you have”.
Sir John Simeon – The Island’s Catholic M.P. £2-50
Written by Dr. Paul Severn, with a Foreword by Fr. Jonathan Redvers Harris, this book is on the life and times of the Victorian Catholic M.P. for the Isle of Wight, who was a friend and contemporary of St. John Henry Newman. Written in 2020 to mark the 150th anniversary of his death, the booklet has been recommended by Bob Seely, M.P. for the Island.
The Early Bishops of Portsmouth (1882 – 1940) £3-00
Another book by Dr. Paul Severn. This time he gives an appraisal of the life and legacy of the first three Bishops of Portsmouth, who had a close association with the Isle of Wight. He examines their work and their leadership in a period of relative growth of Catholicism in England.
The Rosary – England’s Prayer
The Rosary is an ancient Christian prayer, traditionally given to St Dominic in the 13th century by Our Lady. This booklet, written by Edmund Matyjaszek and with a Foreword by Bishop Philip Egan, is a collection of modern poems, pictures old and new, and quotations from history showing that the Rosary, despite all attempts to suppress it, remained and remains “England’s Prayer”. The booklet is available from Amazon or from the Island CHS at £3-50.
A Wight Reformation £6-00
The People, Priests & Parishes of the Island during the Reformation
Written by H. R. Hodd
This is the largest Catholic history book we have produced. It gives a comprehensive and detailed account of how the Reformation affected the Island.
Walsingham:- England’s Nazareth £3.50
The story of the Shrine in poetry & prose.
All available from St Paul’s Bookstore, Westminster, amazon.co.uk, Walsingham Shrine, and abbey and church bookstores or direct from emsREMOVE@emsbase.co.uk or you can phone Ed on 07860 756127.
An Empurpled Son of Freshwater £3-00
This book gives an account of the life and work of Bishop Francis Nicholas Ward, son of William Ward, of Weston Manor, Totland Bay. Ward was President (Headmaster) of St. Edmund’s College, Ware. In 1917, he was appointed as the first Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Brentwood in 1917. He died in 1920.
Remembering Pope Benedict £3-00
Eight members of the IoW Catholic History Society collaborated in the writing and production of this book, which examines the various aspects of Pope Benedict’s Pontificate. There is a Foreword by Abbot Xavier of Quarr Abbey. Each writer contributed a chapter (as indicated below).
Pope Benedict’s State Visit the United Kingdom
Pope Benedict at Cofton Park, September 2010
Pope Benedict and the New Evangelisation
Pope Benedict and Anglicanorum Coetibus
Pope Benedict and Summorum Pontificum
Pope Benedict & the Catholic Church Catechism
Pope Benedict’s Trilogy: Jesus of Nazareth
Poland Pilgrimage £1-50
An account of a pilgrimage to Krackow, Czestochowa, Lagiewniki and Auschwitz in 2010 by a group of islanders, visiting these ancient Polish cities, where Catholicism is still a prominent part of people’s daily lives.
Catholicism on the Isle of Wight £1-00
A pamphlet with a list of all the Catholic establishments on the Island; their dates of foundation, and, in a few instances, their dates of closure.
History of devotion to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary £1-50
St. Mary’s, Ryde was the first church in England with this specific Marian dedication. This booklet explores the origin of this feast and devotion.
A BOOK OF FEASTS: THE MARIAN YEAR £8-00
St. Paul’s Publishing
Foreword by Abbot Xavier Perrin.
This book covering 21 Feasts of Our Lady during the liturgical year, from Advent to All Saints, was born out of Covid and its lockdowns. Pictures and prize-winning Poems on the feasts of Our Lady circulated during lockdown to maintain devotion when churches were largely closed.
Now collected into a sumptuously illustrated volume.
Abbot Xavier Perrin of Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight has contributed an exceptional foreword. Edmund Matyjaszek the author is a past Director of the Poetry Society and author of
The Rosary:
England’s Prayer; England:
The Dowry of Mary – Meaning & Mission;
Walsingham: England’s Nazareth
£8.00 Available from bookstores, Amazon, from the author emsREMOVE@emsbase.co.uk and CHS iow-chsREMOVE@outlook.com.
The Catholic Bishops of Arundel and Brighton £3-00
1965 – 2020
By Dr. Paul Severn
Published by Isle of Wight Catholic History Society
Copies available from the society E.mail iow-chsREMOVE@outlook.com.