Oulton Abbey facts for kids
St Mary's Abbey, Oulton is a special old building in Oulton, a village near Stone in Staffordshire, England. It used to be a home for Benedictine nuns. A "monastery" is a place where monks or nuns live and pray. The church part of the Abbey is a very important historical building, listed as Grade II*. Other parts of the Abbey are also listed as Grade II, meaning they are protected.
Contents
The Abbey's History
Starting in Europe
The community of nuns who lived at Oulton Abbey first started in 1624. They began in a city called Ghent, which is now in Belgium. Their first home was set up in Brussels in 1598 by a lady named Lady Mary Percy.
Moving to England
Later, in 1794, the nuns had to leave Ghent. This was because of a big event called the French Revolution, which caused a lot of trouble in Europe. They moved to England and first settled in Preston. In 1811, they moved again to Caverswall Castle near Stoke-on-Trent.
Finding a Home in Oulton
In 1853, the sisters bought Oulton House. At that time, it was being used as a private hospital for people with mental health issues. The nuns hired a famous architect named Edward Welby Pugin. He helped them change the house and build a beautiful church. More parts were added in 1892, like a chapter house and sacristy. In 1925, a small chapel for St Benedict was built next to the church.
School and Retreat Centre
For many years, the nuns ran a small boarding school at the Abbey. This school stayed open until 1969. After the school closed, the building was changed into a retreat centre. People could visit for quiet reflection and prayer. This retreat centre could host up to twenty-four visitors. In 1989, the building was changed again, this time to provide nursing care.
New Nuns Join
In 2002, another group of Benedictine nuns joined the community at Oulton Abbey. These nuns came from Fernham Priory in Oxfordshire, which had closed down. Many of them moved into Oulton Abbey, making the community larger.
Leaders of the Abbey
What is an Abbess?
The Abbey community was led by an Abbess. An Abbess is like the head or leader of a monastery of nuns. The nuns would choose their Abbess, and she would usually hold the position for her whole life. Since 1624, twenty-two different Lady Abbesses have led the community. Here are some of the more recent ones:
- Dame Juliana Forster (1837–1869): She was the Abbess who brought the community to Oulton. She also managed the building of the church.
- Dame Mary Catherine Beech (1869–1899): She was in charge when Oulton House was made bigger and changed.
- Dame Laurentia Ward (1900–1921): She was the daughter of a well-known person named William George Ward.
- Dame Gertrude Beech (1921–1944): She oversaw the building of the new chapel, making the church larger.
- Dame Mary Agnes Spray (1944–1988): She was Abbess when the school closed and the retreat house opened.
- Dame Mary Benedicta Scott (1988–2019): She was Abbess when the nursing home opened. She also oversaw the Abbey's closure as a monastery.
The Abbey Today
Changes in Recent Years
A new nursing home was built at the Abbey in 2017. There is also a nursery school that operates within the Abbey grounds today. By 2019, there were only three nuns left in the community. Because of this, the decision was made to "suppress" the Abbey. This means it stopped being an active monastery.
What Happened to the Nuns?
The remaining nuns moved to Stanbrook Abbey in North Yorkshire to join another community there. However, the last Abbess, Dame Benedicta Scott, still lives at Oulton. She is a resident in the nursing home. A priest also lives there, and the chapel is still open for public Mass. This means people can still go there for church services.
Future Plans
There are discussions about what might happen to the Abbey buildings in the future. One idea is to change them into apartments for assisted living. These would be homes for people who need some help with daily tasks.
