St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

St Augustine's Abbey or Chilworth Abbey, formerly Chilworth Friary, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine abbey in Chilworth, Surrey. The building, which is Grade II listed,[1] was designed by Frederick Walters and was built in 1892. It was formerly a Franciscan friary and a novitiate for the order.[2] The abbey church is open to the public 365 days a year.

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth
Southeast view of the abbey
Location within Surrey
Monastery information
Other namesChilworth Friary
Chilworth Abbey
OrderOrder of St Francis
Order of Saint Benedict
Established18 June 1892
November 2011
Dedicated toFrancis of Assisi
Augustine of Canterbury
DioceseArundel and Brighton
People
Founder(s)Mary Anne Alliott
Fr Arthur Wells
Architecture
StatusAbbey
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated date28 October 1986
ArchitectFrederick Walters
Completion date18 June 1892
Construction cost£7,000
Site
LocationChilworth, Surrey
Coordinates51°12′31″N 0°31′30″W


Friary
Plaque dedicated to Mary Anne Alliott

Construction

Construction of the friary started in 1890 and it was designed by the architect Frederick Walters, who also designed the nearby St. John's Seminary in Wonersh. It was financed by a £7,000 bequest from Mary Anne Alliott who was the aunt of the founder of the friary, Fr Arthur Wells. On 18 June 1892 the friary and church was dedicated and consecrated by the Bishop of Southwark. The friary was built to serve as a novitiate for the Franciscans in Britain.[3]

Developments

In 1915, an organ, built by Lewis & Co was installed.[3] It was paid for by John Courage of Derryswood, Wonersh (owner of both Lewis & Co and Courage Brewery) and was done with permission from the architect. The same year, Albert Ketèlbey wrote his light classical music piece, In a Monastery Garden, having visited the friary.[4]

Parish

In 1945, the parish of Holy Ghost Church was entrusted to the friary. It expanded and the friary also served a Mass centre in Gomshall, Our Lady of the Angels.[3]

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth is not a parish church and concentrates on being a Benedictine monastery rather than running a parish. Having said this, the abbey church is actively open to the public to attend services every day of the year, along with other regular events.

Abbey

In 2011, it was announced that the friars would leave Chilworth. The friars were distributed amongst the other Franciscan houses in Britain and the parish church of the Holy Ghost was closed. That year, St Augustine's Abbey in Ramsgate also closed and the Benedictine monks from the Order of St Benedict, of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation, looked for a smaller property to move into. When Chilworth Friary became available, they agreed to move to the area and it became St Augustine's Abbey.[5]

The monastic community follows the Rule of St Benedict under the guidance of an Abbot, centred on the Divine Office and Mass prayed daily in the Abbey Church, often in a mix of Latin and English including Gregorian Chant. The community currently numbers eight monks. There are a number of lay oblates. The monks run a guest house and offer a programme of retreats, monastic vocation visits, study days, meditation sessions and healing days. They also make and sell skin creams and furniture polish made from bees wax.[6] St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth compiles 'The Book of Saints, A Comprehensive Biographical Dictionary' by Dom Basil Watkins OSB.[7]

Exterior
  • South side of the abbey
  • East side
  • Chapel

Interior
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See also

References
  1. Historic England. "St Augustine's Abbey (1241338)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  2. Ramsgate Benedictines move to Chilworth from Independent Catholic News retrieved 25 February 2014
  3. Chilworth News Archived 2015-10-09 at WebCite from Order of Friars Minor retrieved 25 February 2014
  4. Hubert Whelbourn (2007), Standard Book of Celebrated Musicians Past and Present, p. 162
  5. History from Chilworth Benedictines retrieved 25 February 2014
  6. "Chilworth Benedictines Shop". Chilworth Benedictines. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  7. Watkins, Basil (2016). The Book of Saints (Eighth ed.). London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark.
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