Berwick’s only Catholic Church is tucked away behind the houses fronting Ravensdowne. Opened in 1829, with later additions, come and see the building and admire its paintings and stained glass windows.
Our Lady and St Cuthbert’s Church has had various names in its history, such as the Catholic Chapel, St Mary and St Cuthbert’s or just St Cuthbert’s. As the Catholic population of Berwick grew slowly throughout the eighteenth century, a building [now part of the St Aidan’s Hall complex] was purchased in Church Street and opened as a chapel in 1799. The small community, which in 1803 numbered about 70 worshippers, gathered in the Church Street building until the present purpose-built chapel was opened in Ravensdowne in 1829 - as expected at the time so soon after the early Catholic Relief Acts, the building was located inconspicuously behind the houses fronting Ravensdowne, and was architecturally discreet. The community grew substantially over the next few decades through natural growth and immigration, particularly from Ireland; in 1851 Mass attendance was 260, and in the latter quarter of the century the average attendance at Sunday Mass was often over 350.
An apsidal chancel was added in the late 19th century and a side chapel, dedicated to the Sacred Heart was added in 1925.
The church has a series of 14 paintings depicting the story of Jesus's Crucifixion, forming the Stations of the Cross. It also has a painting 'The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden' which has a very unusual history.