BUNTINGFORD ~ HERTFORDSHIRE
ST. FRANCIS HOUSE,
In 1977 St. Francis House, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, was acquired from the Sacred Heart Sisters who had run the house as a boarding school.
Fr. Joseph Vallauri took over the parish of St. Richard of Chichester, a short walk from St. Francis’ House and served the parish and the home for 11 years. The house was used by The Sons of Divine Providence as a care home for up to 22 women with learning disabilities.
Attached to the home there were cottages for the staff, a paddock complete with donkey, even a kindergarten which received young children from local families.
By the 1990s care for people with learning disabilities in large institutional settings was out of date and the home closed in 1992. The residents moved to alternative accommodation including 5 who moved to a new home opened by The Sons of Divine Providence in Motspur Park.