St Augustine's Abbey, Ramsgate facts for kids
| Divine Retreat Centre, UK | |
St Augustine's Church, St Edward's Presbytery, and the gate of The Grange: opposite the abbey site
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 Location in Kent
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Benedictine |
| Established | 1856 |
| Disestablished | 2010 |
| Dedicated to | Augustine of Canterbury |
| Diocese | Southwark |
| People | |
| Important associated figures | Edward Pugin Peter Paul Pugin |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Active |
| Functional Status | Retreat Centre |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Architect | Edward Pugin Peter Paul Pugin |
| Site | |
| Coordinates | 51°19′43″N 1°24′37″E / 51.328644°N 1.410229°E |
St Augustine's Abbey, also known as Ramsgate Abbey, used to be a special kind of church building called a Benedictine abbey. It is located in Ramsgate, England. A famous architect named Augustus Pugin built it in 1860. Today, it is a Grade II listed building, which means it is an important historical place.
This abbey was very special because it was the first Benedictine monastery (a place where monks live) built in England since a big historical change called the Reformation. In 2010, the monks who lived there moved to a new home called St Augustine's Abbey in Chilworth, Surrey. Now, a group from Kerala, India, called the Vincentian Congregation, owns the old abbey site. The church of St Augustine, which is across the road from the abbey, is a shrine dedicated to St Augustine of Canterbury. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Southwark.
Contents
The Abbey's Story
Augustus Pugin, the architect, built his own home, The Grange, in Ramsgate. He also built St Augustine's Church right next door. Before he died in 1852, he gave the church to the Catholic Diocese of Southwark. His home, The Grange, stayed with private owners.
Starting the Monastery
In 1856, the Bishop of Southwark, Thomas Grant, invited a group of Benedictine monks to come to Kent. These monks were part of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation. Their job was to start a monastic community and take care of St Augustine's Church.
The abbey building was constructed across the road from the church. Augustus Pugin's sons, Edward Pugin and Peter Paul Pugin, designed this new building.
Growing as an Abbey
The monastery became independent in 1876. This meant it could make its own decisions. In 1881, it became a priory, which is a smaller type of monastery. Then, in 1896, Pope Leo XIII made it a full abbey.
The monks also started a school in 1865. This school taught students for many years, until it closed in 1995.
Nearby Monasteries
In 1936, a group of Benedictine nuns arrived in a nearby town called Minster-in-Thanet. They built their own priory on the remains of a very old abbey from the 7th century. They named their new home St Mildred's Abbey.
Monks Move to a New Home
On October 15, 2009, the monks decided to move. They wanted a smaller place that would be easier for them to take care of. On December 23, 2010, they agreed to move to a building in Chilworth, Surrey, which used to be a Franciscan friary.
When they moved in 2011, they named their new home St Augustine's Abbey. This helped them keep the connection to their old abbey in Ramsgate.
St Augustine's Church Becomes a Shrine
After the monks left, St Augustine's Church went back to the care of the Archdiocese of Southwark. On March 1, 2012, the Archbishop of Southwark, Peter Smith, made the church a special shrine. It became a place to honor St Augustine of Canterbury.
On May 20, 2012, the church was officially opened as a shrine. During a special evening service, a relic (a sacred item) of St Augustine was placed in the church. This relic was given by the Oxford Oratory.
New Owners for the Abbey
The monks sold the abbey building to the Vincentian Congregation in 2014. It is now called the Divine Retreat Centre UK. This center hosts Catholic retreats, which are special events for prayer and spiritual reflection.
Images for kids
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A view of the abbey building
See also
- The Grange, Ramsgate
- St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth
- St Mildred's Abbey, Minster
- Subiaco Cassinese Congregation
