Sculpture of pioneer nun unveiled

PILGRIMS who travel to Holderness to pay homage to the founder of a religious order can now see a new sculpture of her, which is being unveiled today.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Jul 2013, 01:01 BST

The Venerable Mary Ward (1585-1645), in whose name Bar Convent, York, was founded, spent five years at Plowlands Farm, Welwick, where her cousins, the infamous Gunpowder plotters John and Christopher Wright, also grew up.

The 5ft artwork is the work of local artist Larry Malkin and can be seen at the Patrington Haven Caravan and Leisure Park, where it is on display as part of a lakeside sculpture trail.

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Throughout her life Mary, who was declared “Venerable” by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, the first of three steps on the path to being declared a saint, was a pioneer for school education for girls at a time when it was forbidden in the Roman Catholic world. Born in 1585 in Mulworth, she fought to establish unenclosed religious establishments for women, governed by female superiors and spent many years in Rome petitioning the Pope. In 1631 her order was suppressed and she was declared a heretic, but her foundation exists today with about 3,000 members, in 44 countries.