History

 

Beginnings in 1794

St. Mary’s College Oscott is the Major Seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham. It was founded in May 1794 for the training of priests for England and Wales and for the education of lay pupils. Governed by the Midland Vicar Apostolic and a body of laymen, it was soon in debt, and at length Bishop Milner took control. Milner's successor Thomas Walsh found the old College too small and in 1835 decided that a new College would need to be built on a new site which came to be known as 'New Oscott'. The old College site is now occupied by Maryvale House, the Diocesan Centre for Religious Education.

 

Work on the New College began on 25th April 1836 , to designs by Joseph Potter and Augustus Welby Pugin. Pugin was also responsible for many of the fittings and furniture throughout the College, much of which is still in daily use. The chapel was solemnly consecrated on May 29th 1838 , being formally opened two days later. The first students entered in August and thus began the history of the new College. Oscott quickly became a symbol of the rebirth of the Catholic faith in England and played a prominent part in the life of the Church in the nineteenth century. It was the venue for the Synod of Westminster in 1852, a gathering which was the occasion of Newman’s famous 'Second Spring' sermon. As a seminary and a school, it was a major centre of religious and intellectual renewal shaped by the personalities and vision of men like Wiseman, Newman and Ullathorne. During the 1860s, James Spencer Northcote remodelled its organisation along the lines of the Oxford Colleges, but in 1889 Bishop llsley closed the College and reopened it the following year as a seminary only. In 1897 it became the central Seminary for Southern England, and although that official distinction was ended by 1909 the College still receives students from dioceses throughout England and Wales, as well as a few from farther afield.

Oscott College Opened in 1838

 

Additions

Over the years, many alterations and additions have been made to the buildings, both internally and externally. At one time the College had its own brewhouse and bakehouse, and was all but self-sufficient. New buildings have been added, including the Northcote Hall, planned by Northcote, but not completed until after his term of office in 1879. In 1928 the present library was opened, the former space having become too restricted for the numbers of books required by the College. There was great restoration in the years leading up to the 1938 centenary. It was also in this period that the Common Room block was added to the College. A thorough programme of restoration was begun in 1991 in preparation for the bicentennial celebrations in 1994. The outside of the building was extensively repaired and renewed, and after a prolonged closure due to poor plaster, dry rot etc., the chapel was re-opened in all its former glory in April 1993.

Location

The College is situated on the outskirts of Birmingham , overlooking the city. When built, it was surrounded by countryside. The only other landmark nearby was an old hawthorn at the crest of the hill marking a crossroads. The tree has long since disappeared but is remembered in the name of 'The Beggar's Bush' - the local pub. Meanwhile, Birmingham became a centre of the Industrial Revolution and the city spread in all directions. The College is now surrounded by twentieth century housing developments, but the grounds still form a quiet refuge from the continuous noise of the traffic passing close by. Surrounded by trees and provided with gardens and a playing field, the College is still a tranquil oasis and a striking landmark in the midst of urban sprawl. Indeed we could say we have the best of both worlds. We are at once part of a thriving city with all its facilities and opportunities and yet able to maintain a peaceful environment for our primary tasks of priestly formation.

The Beggars Bush from an old photo in the College Museum

Mission

As a seminary our mission is to prepare men for ordination to the priesthood in the Catholic Church in England and Wales . The College belongs to the Archdiocese of Birmingham but has always trained students for other dioceses, and even overseas. Formation for the priesthood extends over six years, during which students benefit from an integral programme of human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation. Our courses are validated by the University of Birmingham and those successfully completing them in Years One to Three gain a BA in Applied theological Studies. Through an affiliation with the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium , our students can also gain a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB).

Historical patrimony

Oscott today seeks to preserve its patrimony as a spiritual, intellectual and historical centre for the Catholic community of England and Wales . We maintain an excellent library for philosophical and theological studies and our museum and recusant library (see elsewhere) preserve valuable historical materials which are made available to visitors and scholars from all over the world.