St Mary's Catholic Church

Prior to 8th July 1926, the Catholics of Woburn Sands had no parish Church, instead they would travel to Mass at Leighton Buzzard or Bletchley.

The first Mass at Woburn Sands was celebrated in the club room of the Fir Tree Hotel by Canon Tonks of Bedford.

In 1929/1930 Fatherer Banham, was appointed as the first Parish Priest of Woburn Sands and Masses continued to be held in rooms of the Fir Tree Hotel whilst fund raising continued for a new Church. In 1930, an army hut was donated by a parish in St Neots and brought to Woburn Sands, to be re-erected on a site at the corner of Wood Street and Theydon Avenue.

During World War II, polish pilots based at Cranfield, prayed underneath a picture of the Madonna and Child at  Chestonova. At the end of the war, they donated the picture to the Church at St Mary’s where it lies in the mother’s chapel above the alter. 

On the 21st February 1939 Father Golston, was appointed to the Mission of Woburn Sands in succession to Father Cyril Banham. Miss Chichester’s donation in 1939 finally enabled the new church to be built and it opened on 2nd July 1956.

Father Edward (Ted) Golston was was parish priest of St Mary’s for 46 years and was succeeded by Canon Stanislaus (Fr Stan) Condon.

Fr. Stanislaus, our Polish Priest, served for 18 years until his retirement in 2004. Fr. Stan died on the 22 January 2012, and is buried in St Mary’s cemetery. Fr. Stan will be known to many parishioners for his great sense of humour, piety and love for animals.

Fr. Kenneth Bowen succeeded Fr. Stan and retired in September 2017 after 12 years’ service.  Following the retirement of Fr. Ken, St Mary’s does not have a full time parish priest but is now part of the Milton Keynes cluster of churches which incorporates the following parishes: