Monastery of The Holy Spirit, Sheffield facts for kids
The Monastery of The Holy Spirit, also known as Kirk Edge Convent, is a special home for nuns. These nuns are part of a group called the Carmelites. The monastery is located on Kirk Edge Road, between the villages of Worrall and High Bradfield, near the city of Sheffield, England.
It's one of 18 Carmelite monasteries in the United Kingdom. The building stands high up, about 340 meters (1115 feet) above sea level. From here, you can see amazing views of the countryside, including parts of the Peak District National Park.
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The Monastery's Story
A Home for Children
The building we see today was first built in 1871. It was planned to be a home for children who didn't have parents, called an orphanage. Father Myers from St Vincent's Church in Sheffield really wanted to help these children. He hoped to create training chances for Catholic boys, similar to what was already available for girls at Howard Hill.
A very important person, Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, helped a lot. He gave 18 acres of land at Kirk Edge for the building. He also provided money to help build it. The architects, Hadfield & Son, designed the building. They based their design on a famous building in Paris, France.
The orphanage opened in late 1871. Sisters of Charity lived there and took care of the children. By 1876, it was also used as a special school for girls.
In 1885, a new part was added to the building. This new section included a beautiful chapel, a large sleeping area (dormitory), and a place for sick children (infirmary). The chapel was 90 feet long. This new part cost a lot of money, about £1,500. This money was raised by Cardinal Henry Edward Manning, a very important church leader. He gave a special talk at St Marie’s Church to ask for donations.
However, even with the new additions, the orphanage faced problems. In 1887, it had to close. The main reason was that getting enough water was very difficult. All the water had to be pumped up from the valley using a windmill. The children were then moved to another home. For a while, the building was empty. Later, it was used as a holiday place for poor boys from Sheffield. Around 1900, it even served as a special school for young people who had gotten into trouble.
Becoming a Carmelite Monastery
In 1910, a new idea came up for the building. The Duke of Norfolk's sister, who was a Carmelite nun herself, suggested turning Kirk Edge into a monastery for nuns. The Duke then gave the land to the Carmelite sisters.
About twelve nuns came from another monastery in Notting Hill, London, which was too crowded. A lot of money, £10,000, was spent to make the building suitable for the nuns. The architects, Hadfields, did the work again. They built a public chapel that could seat 150 people. They also added new rooms and a high stone wall, 12 feet tall, around the grounds.
On July 16, 1911, the monastery officially opened. Cardinal Francis Bourne and Bishop Joseph Cowgill were there for the special event.
During the First World War, a local teacher named Miss Phyllis Browne joined the monastery. She was very sad because her fiancé had died in the war. She later left the convent, got married, and lived in Bridlington.
Today at the Monastery
Today, there are 11 Carmelite nuns living at The Monastery of The Holy Spirit. They live a quiet life of prayer and reflection.
On October 5, 2009, the monastery had a very special visit. The relics (small pieces of something belonging to a saint) of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux were brought there for three hours. This was part of a tour around the U.K. Sister Mary of the Resurrection, who was the leader of the monastery at the time, said they felt very honored to be chosen for this visit.
