After the English Reformation, during the time of recusancy, until the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, some Catholics in West Drayton, particularly the Paget family, descendants of William Paget, 1st Baron Paget, were recorded as papists by the authorities. Anne Paget (died 1587), William's wife, was suspected of hiding Anthony Tyrrell after he escaped from prison. In 1676 and 1706, no one wrote that they were Catholic in those years' censuses. For the rest of the 18th century, there were no recorded instances of Catholic public worship.
The number of Catholics in West Drayton began to increase with the arrival of Irish migrants to work in the market-gardens situated around the village. In 1867, West Drayton had its own Catholic parish and a resident priest, Fr Michael Wren. The priest lived at White Cottage on Money Lane. In 1868, stables and an old coachhouse were turned into a temporary chapel. It could fit 400 people, and there was a space there for 80 schoolchildren too. The Catholic congregation used these temporary premises while the current church was being built.
In 1886, a new high altar was installed in the church. In 1985, the organ was restored, the altar rails removed and the high altar was brought forward. That year, efforts were made to build a spire on top of the tower according to the original plan of the church. However, as not enough money was raised, a small concrete block was added to the top of the tower.
Parish
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School is to the west of the church. The church has four Sunday Masses at 7:00 pm on Saturday and at 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 6:00 pm on Sunday.
^Brodie A. (ed), (2001), Directory of British Architects, 1834–1914: 2 Vols, British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects, pg 1018.
^ "West Drayton: Roman catholicism and old catholics", in A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington, ed. Susan Reynolds (London, 1962), British History Online, accessed 22 October 2024.
^The Reverend Peter Francis Elkins (8 June 1867). "The Catholic Church in Great Britain. Diocese of Westminster. St. Augustine, Apostle of England, West Drayton Middlesex - New Mission". London: The Weekly Register and Catholic Standard. p. 357.
^The Reverend Michael Wren (18 August 1876). "An Appeal. St. Catherine's Catholic Church, West Drayton, Uxbridge, Middlesex". Belfast: Ulster Examiner and Northern Star. p. 1.
^"West Drayton. Laying the Foundation Stone of the New Roman Catholic Chapel". Uxbridge: Broadwater's Buckinghamshire Advertiser, Uxbridge Journal. 2 November 1868. p. 4.
Media related to St Catherine's Church, West Drayton at Wikimedia Commons
