THE head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales today praised the way centuries of history are being projected into an imaginative future at a former priest’s training college in the North-East.

The Archbishop of Westminster, The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, was guest of honour as Ushaw, on the outskirts of Durham, celebrated a "momentous" milestone - the 450th anniversary of its predecessor institution, the English College in Douai, northern France.

There had been fears for the future when the magnificent building and grounds closed as a college seven years ago. However, over the past four years, Ushaw has been reborn as a cultural attraction, events venue, conference centre and business hub.

Cardinal Nichols began a special mass in the stunning St Cuthbert’s Chapel by saying: “We can be grateful for the past and hopeful for the future.”

He ended the service by thanking the congregation, which included former students and teachers, for “being part of this great history”.

Following the French revolution, teachers and scholars from Douai fled persecution and headed to England, where Ushaw College was permanently established in County Durham, in 1808.

After the mass, Cardinal Nichols urged the public to take the chance to visit Ushaw, saying: “It’s lovely to be here to see this historic college being opened to visitors, capturing the modern Ushaw with all sorts of enterprises, yet blended with tradition and theology.

“There is a great sense of the past that is not lost but is projecting itself into the future in so many imaginative ways – so come and see.”

VIP guests at the anniversary mass included the Bishop of Lancaster, Paul Swarbrick; the Bishop of Middlesbrough, Terry Drainey; the Bishop of Newcastle, Seamus Cunningham; and Ushaw’s current President Monsignor John Marsland.

Bishop Drainey gave the sermon and said the history and sacrifice of the Douai martyrs were “inspiring and uplifting”.

The Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, Sue Snowdon gave a reading, as did Ushaw’s Operations Director Peter Seed. The chairman of Durham County Council, Councillor John Lethbridge, was also among around 200 guests.

Ushaw's development director, Roger Kelly, described the occasion as "historic and momentous".

Cardinal Nichols was presented with a book on Ushaw's history and a copy of The Northern Echo with a special pull-out in Ushaw's history.

He ended his visit by planting a tree, alongside 90-year-old volunteer gardener Brian Harvey.