Welcome to Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School
We are a busy but friendly school, with lots going on. This website aims to give you a taster of our school, as well as providing regular updated information for both parents and pupils.
We hope that you enjoy your visit to our website and that you find any information you are looking for. Please feel free to contact the school direct with any queries you may have.
Thank you for visiting!
A paper copy of any information published on our website is available free of charge.
Please contact Miss B. Irwin at the school office.
About Us
Blessed John Duckett School was opened on 6th May 1988. It replaced the old school of St. Joseph's in Tow Law, which dated back over 100 years and St Thomas's in Wolsingham. In order to retain the link between the two towns, the school was named after one of the English martyrs, who was captured at the top of Redgate Bank, near Wolsingham.
Tow Law is situated in the west of County Durham and is its highest town, being more than 1000 feet above sea level. We are a small but happy community and have outstanding views of the Deerness and Wear valleys. In 1998, the school celebrated its 10th Birthday. The children designed a commemorative plate which was then made and presented to us by a local potter.
For our 20th birthday celebrations in 2008, we had a May Day garden party. We planted a tree to commemorate the occasion. 2013 was our 25th Anniversary. We had a whole week of celebrations beginning with a pilgrimage to the John Duckett Cross.
In 2018 we celebrated our 30th anniversary with a lovely, sunny garden party.
Where in the world?
Tow Law is located in the North East of England in the County of Durham.
It is in the west of the county, and sits on the A68. A major route which runs through the middle of the town, linking England with Scotland.
The school itself is located on the B301 which heads towards Lanchester, and Cornsay Colliery.
Tow Law has its own community web site. Please visit at www.towlaw.org.uk
Blessed John Who?
Between Tow Law and Wolsingham, stands a stone cross. It marks a spot where a priest was arrested many years ago. He was taken away to prison then met his death. This priest was called JOHN DUCKETT. John was born in 1613, which is 400 years ago. He lived with his parents, James and Frances, and two brothers.
The Duckett family were quite well-off and lived on their own land near Sedbergh, in Yorkshire. Because of this, they had their own coat-of-arms, which you can see opposite. The Ducketts' were all a Catholic family. You may think nothing is special about this, because many of you who read this story will be Catholic. BUT you must remember, that after King Henry VIII (he of the six wives!) ended friendship with the Pope, the Catholic religion was forbidden in England.
For many years. Catholics were fined or put into prison. They were not allowed to worship or to have Catholic churches or schools. Men had to go abroad to be trained as priests. When they returned to England, they had to do so secretly because the punishment for being a Catholic priest was death.
When John was seventeen, his parents sent him to France, to get a Catholic education. He went to a college for English boys, the college was called Douai. After nine years of studies he passed his exams with flying colours and was ordained a priest. After three years in Paris, it was time for John to come home.
John sailed to England, arriving at Newcastle near Christmas, 1643. From this day, John ministered to Catholics in Durham, and was on his way to baptise two children near Wolsingham when he was arrested by Roundhead soldiers at Redgate Head. The date was the 2nd July 1644.
John would not confess to being a priest immediately so he had to spend a week in Newgate Prison until his trial. It was on September 4th, the day of John’s trial, that he admitted to being priest. The jury decided that his punishment was death by hanging. John Duckett was hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn on September 7th, 1644, along with Ralph Corby. The story goes that they were both told that there had been a reprieve obtained for one of them. They each refused it and insisted that the other should be freed, but neither was. John was 31 years old and had been a priest for only five years.His hand and some of his clothing were recovered as relics, but as they had to be hidden, no-one knows where they are to be found.
John Duckett and Ralph Corby were both beatified on 15th December 1929 by Pope Pius XI.
Saintdom still awaits!