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The history of St. Patrick’s is, shall we say, colourful.
In 1690 when only the privileged lived in Soho Square, the Earl of Carlisle established his home here. Around 1760 it was leased by one Mrs Cornelys. An opera singer, serial bankrupt and socialite, she had a child fathered by Cassanova.
Carlisle House became a venue for dazzling soirees, recitals and concerts. Leading figures including the Prince of Wales gravitated here to satisfy their cultural, musical and other appetites. However Mrs Cornelys’ fortunes changed and she was jailed for bankruptcy.
Surrounding Soho Square was the squalid area of ‘The Rookeries’ immortalised so graphically in Hogarth’s picture ‘Gin Lane’. This was home to destitute immigrants, many of them Irish. To add to their misery, the anti-Catholic laws denied them the comfort of the sacraments and support of a parish priest.
On the repeal of these laws in 1791, Father Arthur O’Leary managed to raise the funds to lease Carlisle House with the help of a group of prosperous Irish Catholics who were equally moved by the misery of London’s poor Irish. In 1792 St Patrick’s was consecrated, and the existing elegant Italianate building we now know was later built on this site.
Click here to read more about the history of St. Patrick’s Church. |
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