Relic

The skull of St Ambrose Barlow. Not the distorted reflection of me in the glass.

He was hung, disembowelled, quartered, and his body boiled in oil in 1641 at Lancaster. It was dangerous being a Catholic priest in England then.

His cousin removed his head from a pike and brought it back to his home at Wardley Hall. It has been there ever since.

The Hall was largely built between 1490 and 1570. Since the 1930’s it has been the home of the Bishop of Salford. The Salford RC Diocese covers much of Lancashire.

Ambrose was one of 40 “English Martyrs” beatified by the then Pope in 1970.

Extra - an excellent concert at the RNCM this evening, commemorating the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death. I like the choirs take on the Last Supper.

And a pic of Wardley Hall itself. A lot of improvement work going on. The current Bishop wants it to be a place for the whole diocesan community. Kids from all 190 RC primary schools in the diocese visit each year.