Today
The community announced in April 2002 that it would be moving. Abbess Joanna Jamieson made the announcement that the Abbey would move from its Victorian abbey, with its 79,000 sq ft (7,300 m2). of monastic buildings 'to make the best use of its human and financial resources'. The Abbey looked at possible sites all over the country until it bought Crief Farm at Wass in the North Yorkshire National Park.
Construction of the new monastery began on 18 June 2007. Progress of the building work, which will be completed in four distinct phases, is being recorded by the Friends of Stanbrook Abbey.
The community moved into the new Stanbrook Abbey in Wass on 21 May 2009. As of 2002 the community numbered 28 professed nuns and two postulants. About 120 lay people, known as oblates, are associated with the monastery.
In August 2010 the Worcestershire property was sold to Clarenco LLP and it is now operational as an events venue.
Previous abbesses include (in alphabetical order):
- Dame Clementia Cary
- Dame Barbara Constable
- Dame Frances Gawen
- Dame Catherine Gascoigne (First Abbess 1629)
- Dame Margaret Gascoigne
- Lady Cecilia A. Heywood
- Dame Joanna Jamieson
- Dame Laurentia McLachlan
- Dame Agnes More
- Dame Bridget More
Read more about this topic: Stanbrook Abbey
Famous quotes containing the word today:
“These native villages are as unchanging as the woman in one of their stories. When she was called before a local justice he asked her age. I have 45 years. But, said the justice, you were forty-five when you appeared before me two years ago. SeƱor Judge, she replied proudly, drawing herself to her full height, I am not of those who are one thing today and another tomorrow!”
—State of New Mexico, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Boundless in your charity, but shrewd and cautious as a lender, you delight all those today whom you made beggars the day before.”
—Franz Grillparzer (17911872)
“I rather think the cinema will die. Look at the energy being exerted to revive ityesterday it was color, today three dimensions. I dont give it forty years more. Witness the decline of conversation. Only the Irish have remained incomparable conversationalists, maybe because technical progress has passed them by.”
—Orson Welles (19151984)