Church of the Good Shepherd

Parish: St. Andrew

The Church of the Good Shepherd originated from a mission school for East Indian settlers in Constant Spring. Maurice Wortley, son of Reverend Canon E.J. Wortley, worked with the local Indian community, offering to establish a school for their children. Although Maurice died in World War I, his sister Dorothy continued his efforts. In 1916, a bamboo shed school was built with land donated by John Farquharson. The school served both the Indian communities in Constant Spring and Swallowfield.

In 1918, Canon E.J. Wortley and his wife, Bertha, founded a Children’s Home in memory of their son Maurice, initially on the grounds of St. Andrew Parish Church. After Canon Wortley’s retirement in 1921, the home was moved to land at “Maurice Hill” in Constant Spring. In 1926, with limited funds, Canon Wortley began building a church on land also donated by Farquharson. The church was completed in 1927 and consecrated to the Good Shepherd. This church served the East Indian community and the Wortley Home.

Upon Canon Wortley’s death in 1928, a memorial tablet was placed by the East Indian community to honor his contributions. The church also features stained-glass windows in his memory, donated by his East Indian friends. Canon Wortley’s wife Bertha continued overseeing the Home until her death in 1940. The church remained central to the Home’s activities, and one of the original East Indian boys, Reverend Canon Harpaul, later became a priest.

After hurricane damage in 1951, the church was renovated and rededicated. In 1978, it was restored by the Anglican Diocese, with the condition that it be opened to the broader community. It was rededicated by Bishop Edmondson and has since served the local community. In 1984, the administration of the Wortley Home was taken over by St. Jude’s Anglican Church in Stony Hill as an outreach project.