Turvey Abbey facts for kids
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Priory of Our Lady of Peace |
| Order | Benedictine |
| Established | 1980 |
| Site | |
| Location | Turvey, Bedfordshire, England |
| Coordinates | 52°09′42″N 0°37′06″W / 52.16163°N 0.6182°W |
Turvey Abbey is a special old building in the village of Turvey, England. It's located in the county of Bedfordshire. This historic place has been around for a long time. Parts of it date back to the early 1600s. You can even see the years 1605 and 1608 carved on its stone walls. Today, it's a home for a group of Benedictine nuns.
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What is Turvey Abbey Today?
Turvey Abbey is now home to a group of Benedictine nuns. They are part of a Roman Catholic community called the "Priory of Our Lady of Peace." These nuns live by the Rule of Saint Benedict, which is a set of guidelines for monastic life. They are connected to a larger family of Benedictines called the Olivetans.
Visiting Turvey Abbey
The Abbey itself is not open to the public for tours. However, the community of nuns welcomes guests who want to visit for spiritual reasons. Next to Turvey Abbey is another building called the "Monastery of Christ our Saviour." Even though it's right next door, it is a separate place and not part of Turvey Abbey.
The Long History of Turvey Abbey
The oldest part of Turvey Abbey was built in 1603. Some records even suggest that parts of the building might be older than that! The building is made of stone and has a tile roof. There's also an old dovecote nearby, which is a building for pigeons. This dovecote is a Grade II listed building, meaning it's historically important. It no longer belongs to the Abbey.
Who Lived at the Abbey?
For a long time, the Brand family lived in the house. Thomas Brand and his wife Margaret moved there around 1670. They were Catholic recusants, which meant they were Catholics who did not attend the official Church of England services. Their names appear in many old records.
Later, in 1750, William Laurence and Sarah Steward got married. They had six children. William died in 1766, leaving his family very young. He made sure his will provided for them.
How the Abbey Changed Hands
In 1786, another family, the Mordaunts, sold their land in Turvey. An advertisement for the sale mentioned Sarah Laurence as the person renting the farm with "The Abbey." A very rich merchant from London named Charles Higgins bought it. He used it as his country home.
Charles Higgins allowed Sarah Laurence to keep living there. He divided the building and garden into two parts for them to share. He also made some big repairs to the property. When he passed away in 1792, his family inherited the house.
John Higgins's Love for the Abbey
John Higgins, born in 1768, had a strong passion for "The Abbey." Even before he owned it, he loved to visit Turvey to see the house. He wrote about these visits in his memoirs.
He described seeing Turvey Abbey for the first time in 1781. He said the place caught his eye and made him very curious. He only knew it was a farm called the Abbey. A few years later, he visited again. He quickly ran up the street to get a better look at the old house. He examined as much of the outside as he felt he was allowed to.
John Higgins even drew sketches of the front and back of the house. He included these drawings in his memoirs.
New Additions to the Abbey
Around 1801, John Higgins made some changes to the house. He built a new coach house with a clock. This building is now called Brand House. He also added decorative railings and two special windows. These windows came from another old building called Easton Maudit. Later, he built a walled garden and a pretty Gothic summer house.
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