Mgr Charles Payne established Padley Chapel as a shrine in 1933, honouring the martyrdoms of Blesseds Garlic and Ludlam (1588). His third significant project, to build and restore church sites for the celebration of the Holy Mass.
Project 1 St Philip Neri (Mansfield) 1921
The construction of the current church, consecrated 1925. He established a Mission church in New Ollerton and supported the community in Shirebrook, which led to the building of St Joseph’s.
Project 2 St Mary’s (Derby) 1926
He tackled the ‘Tower crisis’, as the upper levels of Pugin’s masterpiece of prayer were crumbling. He set a target of raising £3,000 (modern equivalence c £250,000). Bazaars, music events and ‘buy a stone’ engaged Catholics and Christians from other denominations, to help raise the funds. The City of Derby was determined to preserve this treasured element of it’s spiritual skyline.
Project 3 Padley Chapel Shrine (Grindleford) 1929-33
Mgr Payne and Canon Busch of Hathersage, campaigned to buy Padley Manor farm and its gatehouse chapel. Padley was promoted as a shrine of regional importance. He encouraged pilgrims to come and created the ‘Red Martyrs Book’, where names could be written and placed near the altar.
Named marble plaques, were bought by families and institutions to honour their commitment to the restoration eg Ellen Harrison, Willliam Braughan and ‘St Damians’.
Mgr Payne’s request to be buried in Padley Chapel Shrine, was honoured in 1944.
Padley Chapel Shrine will be open in 2026 on Sundays 5th April to 4th October 2.00 – 4.00 pm.
If you would like to help as a Welcomer, please contact [email protected].G. Bonner
