About us Harvington Hall Harvington Hall is an Elizabethan moated manor house with rare wall paintings and the greatest series of priests' hiding places in the country. A rare architectural record of the Counter-Reformation, the Hall tells the incredible story of how Catholic families managed to practice their faith in secret under the harsh penal laws of Elizabethan and Stuart England. It is owned by the Archdiocese and managed through a voluntary committee chaired by Right Reverend Monsignor John Moran. Visitors may join a guided tour or wander round the Hall by themselves with other sources of information. There is an attractive gift shop, a tea room looking over the moat, and charming gardens with a picnic area to explore. All profits generated at the Hall go back into conserving this unique Grade I-listed monument. The Hall is open from 11.30 on Wednesdays to Sundays, from March to October, as well as on Bank Holiday Mondays (please see the Hall's own website to confirm specific opening dates and times and for special closures). The Hall is a wonderful place to visit as a Retreat; after a guided tour, groups may arrange to celebrate Mass in the Georgian Chapel in the garden or at St Mary’s Church opposite the Hall. Visiting Priests are admitted free to the Hall either on a pre-visit or if they are accompanying their parishioners. There is also a special educational programme, called 'Journey of Faith', aimed specifically at Catholic school groups.More information may be obtained from 01562 777846, [email protected] or www.harvingtonhall.com Harvington Hall Management CommitteeChair: Rt Rev Mgr John MoranTreasurer: Major James Arbuthnott Address for Correspondence: Emma Pullen – Hall Manager, Harvington Hall, Kidderminster, DY10 4LR Email: [email protected] Harvington Hall Restoration TrustChair: Major James ArbuthnottTreasurer: Mr Alan ParsonsAddress for Correspondence: Emma Pullen – Hall Manager, Harvington Hall, Kidderminster, DY10 4LR Harvington Pilgrimage CommitteeChair: Rt Rev Mgr John MoranTreasurer: Mr Alan ParsonsAddress for Correspondence: Mgr Moran, St Mary’s Presbytery, Harvington, Kidderminster, DY10 4LR Journey of Faith Journey of Faith is a new venture mainly for Catholic schools, but is available to all on request. It traces the journey of the Catholic faith in England from medieval times when the original hall was built to the present day. It looks at recusant and penal times of the Tudor and Stuart periods when priest hides were constructed and used, through the slightly more relaxed Georgian times when our Georgian Chapel was built and some Catholic Relief Acts were passed, and eventually on to the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829. We will see how in the Victorian era, this act led to the freedom of worship for Catholics and the building of many Catholic churches. The morning session will consist of a tour of the Hall showing the priest hides and learning how the Pakington family practised their faith in secret and the risks taken by the Catholic priests at a time when it was deemed treasonable for them to celebrate Mass. This will be followed by a time for lunch and Mass, or a school-led prayer service. In the afternoon, there will be a session focussing on Jesuit values and virtues, which will reflect the Archdiocese of Birmingham’s Diocesan Religious Strategy. This will include discussion, a story about the life of a saint with appropriate activities, and then a time for considering what students’ own journey of faith might be. The day can be adapted to suit the needs of different age groups and so would be suitable as part of preparation for Confirmation or Holy Communion.