Everyone is welcome to attend religious services celebrated at the Abbey, and to take part in the weekly Saturday guided tour. Group visits at another times can be arranged — please contact us for more details. We also offer a possibility of staying at the monastery as a guest, for those who want to share in the benedictine way of life and benefit from the quiet of the monastery and the daily round of prayer.
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Times of Mass
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Sundays
Mass at 9.00 am
Vespers at 4.45 pm
Weekdays
Mass at 8.00 am
Our Mass and Office are sung in Latin to Gregorian Chant.
The Abbey gates open half an hour before each service. Those wishing to attend Mass at the Abbey are advised that the Abbey gate closes as the Mass begins, and so there is no possibility of access for latecomers.
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Guided Tours
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The Saturday Tour of the Abbey
Every Saturday at 3 pm there is a guided tour of the Abbey Church and Imperial Crypt. Because of the current pandemic situation, please contact us to book in advance before attending. The monastery shop remains closed for the present.
The Abbey gates open automatically at 2.50 pm – please wait at the gates until they open. The tour lasts an hour and ends in the monastery shop.
We ask a minimum donation of £5 per person (children free).
Visiting at other times
Individuals or groups who wish to visit the church and crypt should contact us, either by email or by telephone (Mon. to Fri. 10am – 4pm). We work for our living and it is not practical for us simply to ‘down tools’ every time the doorbell rings.
We welcome coach parties and are happy to welcome groups of students, historical societies, scouts, and U3A.
For further queries please contact us.
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Organ Recitals
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The famous Cavaillé-Coll organ at Farnborough continues to be used for Sunday Mass and Vespers on most Sundays of the year. During the Summer months we have our traditional organ recital series. The Cavaillé-Coll at Farnborough is a magnificent instrument, and we welcome some fine musicians each year to help you appreciate the fact!
Recitals start at 3 pm, and are on the first Sunday of the month. There is no charge, simply a retiring collection.
Here’s a sample of the organ in action:
It is an excerpt from Neil Wright’s CD of “Les Trois Pieces” by Cesar Franck.
The organ has its own website. Our organist, Mr Neil Wright FRCO, may be contacted through it.
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Guests
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The monastery has facilities for those who wish to benefit from the quiet of the monastery and the daily round of prayer.
Priests and religious
The Knox Room is one of the rooms within or near to the monastic enclosure reserved for visiting priests and religious, and is named after the great Monsignor Ronald Knox, who was received into the Catholic Church in this very room. A photograph of him is over the desk and a number of his books are on the shelves in this room. The Knox Room is warm and very comfortable. It is double-glazed, en-suite, with wired internet access.
Male Guests
The monastery has a few rooms for male guests who wish to spend some days in prayer and to participate in the daily round of the liturgy. Those wishing to stay should write to the guest master.
Ladies & Families
The South Lodge is a comfortable bungalow near the Abbey Farm, which is able to host our own families and those ladies and other families who wish to stay. The South Lodge has an ensuite double room, an ensuite single, and another single. It is self-catering -with a well-equipped kitchen, and a spacious living room with a sofa bed.
Retreats
The monks do not organise retreats or programmes at present, but welcome those who wish to spend a day or several days with us around the natural structure of the Divine Office.