Parish History
The first church in Tring was built in 1912 by Fr. Henry Hardy, an Anglican convert and descendant of Captain Hardy of Trafalgar fame. It was a modest brick structure with a bell turret, built by Mr. C. Green of Boxmoor. Over time, the church became too small for the growing parish, and in the 1960s, a tower and side aisle were added by architect George Mathers.
Efforts to enlarge the church continued, and in 1995 architect Anthony Delarue was appointed to design a new church, which incorporated parts of the old structure. His design reoriented the church, turning the former sanctuary into a baptistery and Lady Chapel. The new church was completed in 1999, and the first Mass was celebrated on 11 November that year. Archbishop Murphy O’Connor consecrated the building on 16 February 2001. The design won a craftsmanship award from the Brick Development Association.
The new church is a fusion of Queen Anne and Arts and Crafts styles, using materials from the original building and local suppliers. The layout features an aisled nave, a narthex, and a sanctuary topped by a lantern tower. The sanctuary, framed by arches and an open timber roof, includes a marble altar from the old church, commemorating parishioners who died in World War I.
In 2012, a new parish office was added, designed to complement Delarue’s work.
Parish Priests
Fr Henry Hardy (1910-18)
Fr Francis Wynch (1919-20)
Fr Bernard Hyde (1920-21)
Fr Percy Clune (1921-23)
Fr William Neville (1923-39)
Fr Norman Fergusson (1939-49)
Fr Ralph Gardner (1949-59)
Fr Arthur Mintern (1959-65)
Fr Calum MacLean (1965-82)
Mgr Denis McGuinness (1982-93)
Fr Anthony Potter (1993-2003)
Canon Desmond Sheehan (2003-04)
Canon Vincent Berry (2006-17)
Fr David Burke (2017-21)
Fr Sean Thornton (2021-24)
Fr John Byrne (2024-)
