Mepkin Abbey facts for kids

Mepkin Abbey is a special place where Trappist monks live. It is a monastery located in Berkeley County, South Carolina. The abbey is found near Moncks Corner. It sits where two parts of the Cooper River meet. This area is northwest of Charleston. It belongs to the Diocese of Charleston.

History of Mepkin Abbey

The land where Mepkin Abbey stands has been called Mepkin for a very long time. It was once a large estate owned by important families.

Early Owners and Plantations

The name Mepkin was first written down in 1681. It was part of a land grant to the sons of Sir John Coleton. He was one of the "Lords Proprietary" of South Carolina. These were the original owners of the colony.

In 1762, one of his family members sold the land. Henry Laurens of Charleston bought it. Laurens built his home there. This large estate became known as the Mepkin Plantation.

A painting from 1803 showing Mepkin, the home of Henry Laurens.

After many years, the Laurens family sold the property. It was owned by several different people over time.

The Luce Family and Their Gift

In 1936, a famous publisher named Henry R. Luce bought the property. The plantation was made up of several smaller ones. It was very large, covering over 7200 acres. When the Luces bought it, Henry Laurens' original house was gone. A house built in 1906 was on the land then.

This house was built in 1906 after Henry Laurens' historic home was gone. It was later replaced by Henry Luce.

New York architect Edward Durell Stone designed a new house for the Luces in 1936. Henry Luce's wife, Clare Boothe Luce, created a huge and beautiful garden there. It was known as the Mepkin Garden.

In 1949, the Luces gave a large part of their property to the Trappist Order. This gift included the beautiful garden. They gave it to Gethsemani Abbey.

Founding the Monastery

Twenty-nine monks came from Gethsemani, Kentucky. They came to start the new Mepkin Abbey. The Abbey and the Mepkin Gardens are usually open to the public every day.

The monastery grounds have a graveyard. Here you can find the ashes of Henry Laurens. Also, the graves of John Laurens, Clare Boothe Luce, and Henry Luce are there. The gardens are now called the Mepkin Abbey Botanical Garden.

Leaders of Mepkin Abbey

Abbots and Superiors

Images for kids

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  Mepkin Abbey entrance

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  Mepkin Abbey

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  Mepkin Abbey

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  Mepkin Abbey