ROMAN CATHOLICISM.
A seminary priest,
Leonard Hyde, was arrested at Highgate in 1585. (fn. 68)
Recusant gentry included Francis Yates of Highgate
in 1587, and, from Hornsey, George Mackworth in
1589, (fn. 69) Mary Jerningham in 1593-4, (fn. 70) and Catherine,
wife of Anthony Kitchen, in 1594. (fn. 71) The foremost
was Sir John Arundell (d. 1591), of Lanherne
(Cornw.), confined for three years to Alderman
Rowe's house at Muswell Hill but in 1590 allowed
to choose another place near to London. (fn. 72) Sir John
was host to young Mr. Stourton and young Mr.
Arundell, both listed as papists, in 1588 (fn. 73) and his
daughter Elizabeth married John Charnock, (fn. 74) a local
gentleman fined for recusancy in 1593-4. (fn. 75) Another
prominent recusant was Jane, Lady Lovell, of Highgate. (fn. 76) In 1608 the rector presented Walter and
Nicholas Henningham for non-attendance at Highgate chapel. (fn. 77) Arundel House was also suspect as a
centre of Roman Catholic intrigues: inquiries were
made in 1615 about food which had been procured
by the earl of Arundel's servants for Henry, prince
of Wales (d. 1612), on the May Day before his
death. (fn. 78)
After Lord Arundel's public profession of Pro
testantism in 1615 (fn. 79) there was little evidence of
recusancy, even in Highgate. The gardener of one
Heveningham was said to be in touch with visiting
papists in 1679 (fn. 80) but the parish contained no reputed
Roman Catholics in 1706. (fn. 81) A 'few' were recorded
later in the century and sixteen in 1767. (fn. 82) Martin
Hounshill, chaplain to the duke of Norfolk, was
buried at Hornsey in 1783 (fn. 83) and two French emigré
priests lived at Highgate in 1797. (fn. 84)
For most of the 19th century Roman Catholics
worshipped outside Hornsey. From 1858 a wide
area was served by St. Joseph's retreat, on Highgate
Hill. In 1869 its chapel was often crowded, especially
with Irish from Upper Holloway, (fn. 85) many of whose
children attended St. Joseph's or, later, St. Aloysius's
schools. (fn. 86) The Passionists of St. Joseph's opened St.
Mary's chapel and school in Tottenham Lane in
1871 but apparently did not maintain them for
long. (fn. 87)
Many new residents of Stroud Green had no
desire to retain links with the mission at Eden Grove,
in less prosperous Holloway. (fn. 88) In 1892 they formed
a committee, which in 1893, as Stroud Green Catholic
association, began to raise funds for a church.
Coombe House, at the corner of Womersley and
Dashwood roads, was bought in 1894, when mass
was celebrated there. It was designated St. Augustine's, since canons regular of St. Augustine were
intended to serve the mission, but was soon committed to canons regular of the Lateran, who changed
the name to St. Peter-in-Chains. A red-brick church,
in a Gothic style, was founded in 1898 and completed in 1902. (fn. 89) There were attendances of 473 in
the morning and 125 in the evening on one Sunday
in 1903. (fn. 90) The church was still served by canons
regular of the Lateran in 1976.
Muswell Hill was included in the new East
Finchley parish from 1898. (fn. 91) Sisters of St. Martin of
Tours arrived in 1904, a separate parish was formed
in 1917, and the temporary church of Our Lady of
Muswell opened in 1920. The church, accommodating 300 and designed for future conversion into a
hall, was so called because it stood in Colney Hatch
Lane, near the medieval estate of the nuns of
Clerkenwell. A permanent church was first used for
worship in 1938 and consecrated in 1959. It was
built of brick in the Byzantine style, to the designs
of T. H. B. Scott, (fn. 92) and seated 600.
Harringay was served from West Green in Tottenham, (fn. 93) originally called the parish of West Green
and Harringay, until the purchase of the Methodists'
church in Mattison Road. (fn. 94) Mass was celebrated in
the adjoining hall in 1963, when a priest-in-charge
of Harringay district was appointed, and the parish
of St. Augustine of Canterbury was created in 1964.
The former Methodist church was used for worship
from 1964.
Pastoral work among West Indians in Haringey and
neighbouring boroughs was undertaken by the Revd.
John Robson from 1972. No. 416 Seven Sisters
Road was later acquired as the Caribbean pastoral
centre and adapted for worship and social activities. (fn. 95)