The first known Catholic chapel in Alton since the 1500s seems to have been in Normandy Street. On 8 June 1901, the Hampshire Chronicle reported that Normandy House had changed hands several times since the death of Mrs Crowley in 1892. ‘In October 1899, the present owners, a body of Roman Catholic nursing sisters, came into possession of the property, subsequently opening the Chapel known as St Saviour’s to the Roman Catholics of the district, the Rev Father Henry B Bulbeck, OSB, being the priest in charge. The Diocese of Portsmouth, however, being unfavourable to their purposes, they are disposing of the property, and will shortly proceed to a western diocese. The Bishop of Portsmouth, we understand, will open a chapel in Alton upon their departure.
The replacement chapel or church was not, in fact, opened for another 10 years. On 21 January 1911, the Alton Gazette noted that ‘work will shortly begin’ on the Catholic Church. This new building was in Albert Road and a confirmation service was held there by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth on Sunday 19 May 1912.
Alton Lodge (59 Normandy Street), which had been the home of the Spicer family, was later purchased and, in 1938, a small building erected in the grounds for use as a church. This served the local congregation until the 1960s. The Alton Gazette of September 1964 included a picture of a model of the proposed new Roman Catholic Church and St Mary’s was first used on Christmas Eve 1966.
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