Sharing our Stories

The Exhibition

On Wednesday 8th July 2026, the project marked its completion with a free public exhibition launch at St Walburge’s Church, Weston Street, Preston.

From the archive, into the light

What months of work uncovered

After months of cataloguing and conservation, the most striking finds from St Walburge’s archive were finally brought together and shown to the public for the first time.

Photographs, letters, registers and architectural drawings told the story of the church and the generations of Preston people who made it their spiritual home. Many of these items had not been seen for decades.

The exhibition was shaped by the volunteers themselves, who chose the themes and objects that spoke to them most as they worked through the collection. It was their reading of the archive, and a warm invitation for everyone else to discover it too.

More than a display

It was a chance for the whole community to see, in person, what months of quiet work in the archive had actually uncovered.

A shared achievement
Marking the project's completion

The launch celebrated not only the completion of a major conservation project, but the partnership between the church, the community, academic institutions, heritage organisations and volunteers that made it possible.

Highlights of the event

From guided tours to a performance of Gregorian chant, the launch brought the whole community together to mark the project’s completion.

Church & Roof Tours

Visitors could join church tours, followed by guided scaffold and roof tours, a rare close-up look at parts of the building they’d never normally see.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The roof works were marked with a ribbon cutting, followed by a second ceremony to formally open the exhibition itself.

Gregorian Chant

A performance of Gregorian chant brought the church’s living musical tradition into the celebration.

Documentary Screening

The evening included a presentation on the project’s discoveries, followed by a screening of a documentary about the project.

A volunteer's perspective
Gregorian Chant

A performance of Gregorian chant brought the church’s living musical tradition into the celebration.

Keep exploring

The stories live on

The exhibition may be over, but the archive that inspired it is still here to explore.

Explore the Archive
Stone statue of Jesus on the cross at St Walburge's, secured during restoration work.
An 1896 painting by E. Beattie showing the former St Walburge's presbytery and schools, replaced in 1903.
Vintage photograph of a wartime or post-war parade of uniformed women marching through a Preston street.
Group photograph of Catholic clergy and dignitaries outside the walls of St Walburge's.
Vintage black-and-white photograph of a St Walburge's religious street procession featuring a large crucifix float.
Historic photo of children and altar servers gathered at the St Walburge's sanctuary for the May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Archival group photograph of a large class of schoolboys posed outdoors with two female teachers and a male teacher against a brick school building.
Historic architectural sketch design for a marble wall-lining with a series of pointed arches.
Historic black-and-white photo of a St Walburge's procession with children dressed as angels, led by a child carrying a "Fervour" banner.
Historic handwritten letter in cursive script, signed by Father Newcastle.