The Roman Catholic church was formerly the Congregational Church.
The origin of the
Congregational cause in Faringdon is to be traced back to about the year 1760
when a Lincolnshire builder, John Fidel, came to town to supervise the erection
of Beckett House (Shrivenham). He so pleased Lord Barrington that he persuaded
Fidel to stay and commence business as a builder. His fitted out his workshop (Marlborough St, opposite the Roman Catholic church) for worship, and began to hold services. Local magistrates took action against him for holding services without a licence, but on Lord Barrington’s intervention the charges were dropped.
In 1800 a small chapel on the opposite side of the street, built by Fidel, was opened, the work being maintained by a number of supply ministers.
Blessed Hugh Faringdon (Vere COOK).
English martyr; b. probably at Faringdon, Berkshire, date unknown; d. at Reading, 15 November, 1539. The name of his probable birthplace is also the surname by which he is generally known, but he bore the arms of Cook of Kent. He was elected Abbot of Reading in July, and confirmed, 26 Sept., 1520. Henry VIII was his guest on 30 January, 1521, and he later became one of the royal chaplains.
Among Henry's New Year gifts in 1532 was £20 in a white leather purse to the Abbot of Reading. Faringdon sat in Parliament from 1523 to 1539. In 1536 he signed the articles of faith passed by Convocation at the king's desire, which virtually acknowledge the royal supremacy. On Sunday, 4 November, 1537, he sang the requiem and dirge for Queen Jane Seymour, and was present at the burial on 12 Nov.
As late as March, 1538, he was in favour, being placed in the commission of the peace for Berkshire; but in 1539, as he declined to surrender the abbey, it became necessary to attaint him of high treason. As a mitred abbot he was entitled to be tried by Parliament, but no scruples troubled the chancellor, Thomas Cromwell. His death sentence was passed before his trial began.
With him suffered John Eynon (or Onyon), a priest of St. Giles's, Reading, and John Rugg, a former fellow of the two St. Mary Winton colleges and the first holder of the Wykehamical prebend "Bursalis" at Chichester, who had obtained a dispensation from residence and was living at Reading in 1532.
More information about the life of Hugh Cook (Blessed Hugh)