Ealing Abbey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ealing Abbey
The Church and Abbey of Saint Benedict of Nursia
The Abbey Church – front
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OS grid reference	TQ1742781453
Location	Ealing, London
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founded	March 1897 (1897-03)
Founder(s)	Cardinal Herbert Vaughan
Dedication	Saint Benedict of Nursia
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	19 January 1981
Architect(s)	Frederick Walters
Style	Perpendicular Gothic
Administration
Deanery	Ealing
Archdiocese	Westminster
Province	Westminster

The Abbey of Ealing is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery in Ealing, England. It is located on Castlebar Hill. This special place is part of the English Benedictine Congregation.

The Abbey is dedicated to Saint Benedict of Nursia. In 2020, about fourteen monks lived there.

History of Ealing Abbey

The monastery in Ealing started in 1897. It came from Downside Abbey and was first a local church. In 1916, it became a smaller monastery called a priory. Then, in 1947, it became an independent priory.

In 1955, Pope Pius XII made the building an official abbey. This was a big step for the community.

Inside Ealing Abbey: The Building

The Abbey Church was designed by F. A. Walters. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical site. Parts of the church were ready by 1899. By 1915, more sections like the sanctuary were finished. F. A. Walters' son, Edward John Walters, completed the western part by 1934.

Nave of the Church of Saint Benedict, part of the abbey

The church was damaged by two bombs in 1940. The first bomb destroyed the organ area. The second bomb hit the east end, including the main worship area. Only two stained glass windows survived, but they were also damaged.

Repairs began in 1957 and finished in 1962. The church was made larger, and new parts were added. The Monks Choir and Lady Chapel were added later, between 1996 and 1998.

The main roof of the church has painted decorations. These include the letters IHC and SB, which stand for Saint Benedict.

The large window at the west end shows the Coronation of the Virgin Mary. It was made by Burlison and Grylls. Another window in the south transept remembers victims of the two world wars. It shows a young Risen Christ and several saints.

There is also a painting called Peter's Denial of Christ by Jusepe de Ribera.

What the Monks Do: Apostolate

Serving the Parish Community

One of the main jobs of the Abbey is to run a large local church in Ealing. This church is called the Abbey Church of Saint Benedict. Both the local church services and the monks' own services happen here.

Music at the Abbey

The Ealing Abbey Choir sings at the main Sunday service. This choir includes boys and men. They even appeared on the BBC TV show Songs of Praise in 2005.

The Abbey also hosts many music concerts. These often feature the Abbey's choirs and organ. Sometimes, other choirs also perform there.

There is a special choir for people who are not monks. It's called the Lay Plainchant Choir. They practice and sing traditional church music. This choir offers workshops and training. They rehearse every week and sing at a Sunday service once a month. Some members also sing for elderly people in a local care home.

Welcoming Guests: Hospitality

The monks at Ealing Abbey welcome guests to stay with them. Both religious and non-religious men can visit. Guests are asked to join the monks for morning and evening prayers. The Abbey has a special house for guests and people on spiritual retreats.

St Benedict's School

The Abbey used to be very involved in running St Benedict's School, Ealing. This school started in 1902. It is a private day school for boys and, since 2007, also for girls. There is also a small nursery for younger children.

Since 1987, the school has had a lay headmaster (someone who is not a monk). Before that, a monk was always the headmaster. In 2012, the Abbey created a new charity for the school. This meant a new group of governors took over running the school. This change allowed the monks to choose other activities. The Abbey also has ties with St Augustine's Priory, Ealing, a nearby girls' school.

Benedictine Institute: Learning and Arts

The monks also run the Benedictine Institute. This center was first suggested in 1986 and opened in 1992. The current Abbot, Martin Shipperlee, has continued to support it. The Institute offers adult education programs. These include courses on Sacred Liturgy (church services) and Liberal Arts. They teach subjects like theology, modern languages, and classical languages. Their Latin summer school is a popular yearly event.

The Benedictine Institute is located in Overton House. This is a Victorian mansion next to the Abbey. It was once owned by the son of a famous map-maker. The house was bought by Downside Abbey in 1930 and then by Ealing Abbey in 1955.

The Institute has a library called the St Bede Library. It has many books for studying theology and liturgy. These books were collected over many years.

From 2002 to 2015, James Leachman was the head of the Institute. He was also a professor of Liturgy in Rome. He guided the Institute's work. Since 2010, Fr Daniel McCarthy OSB has helped with teaching and managing the Liturgical Institute.

The Institute publishes a magazine called Benedictine Culture twice a year.

Notable Monks of Ealing Abbey

Several famous monks have lived and worked at Ealing Abbey.

Bernard Orchard, a well-known biblical scholar, was a monk here.

Between 1933 and 1939, David Knowles lived at Ealing. He was a historian of monasteries. He did research for his major work, The Monastic Order in England, while here. He later became a professor at the University of Cambridge.

Cuthbert Butler also lived at Ealing after he retired in 1922. He stayed until his death in 1934. John Main, who taught Christian meditation, was a monk at Ealing from 1959 to 1970 and again from 1974 to 1977. His meditation methods are now used by the World Community for Christian Meditation.

Leaders of Ealing Abbey

The following monks have served as the main leaders of Ealing Abbey. They were called "Prior" before 1955 and "Abbot" after 1955.

Gallery

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  South side of the church

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  Towards the Altar

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  View of the Sanctuary

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  West end of the church

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  Baptismal Font

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  West Window

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  South Transept Window

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  Side Altar

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  Statues within the church

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  Statue of St Benedict

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  The Baptism of Christ, painting within the church

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  A relief within the church