Downside Abbey and Monastery Gardens

Downside Abbey (the minor Basilica of St. Gregory the Great) is one of only four minor basilicas in the UK and is one of England’s great neo-Gothic churches. The grade one listed building is work of several distinguished architects including Thomas Garner, Sir Ninian Comper and Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. The Abbey is the senior Benedictine monastery of the English Benedictine Congregation.

The grounds and buildings were developed by the community of St Gregory the Great (originally founded in Douai in 1606) after it settled at Downside in 1814.

On Thursday 12th September, as part of Heritage Open Days, we are running free guided tours, each of which will last approx. 45-60 minutes.

1) Guided tours of the abbey church will take place at 10.15, 10.30, 13.15 and 13.30 and will include a visit to the monastic cemetery where there are two commonwealth war graves and the graves of the nine schoolboys and pilot who lost their lives when a plane crashed on the school playing fields during WWII.

For visitors who would prefer not to join a tour, the church will be open between 1000 and 1600 and guidebooks will be available to purchase.

2) Guided tours of the monastery gardens will commence at 11.45 and 14.45. The gardens have been exclusively for the use of the monastic community, but we are sharing them with visitors as part of Heritage Open Days.
Please note: the gardens are only accessible on a tour.

Timings & Tours

Thursday 12 September:

Abbey Church open: 10.00-16.00. Abbey Tour: 10.15, 10.30, 13.15 & 13.30. Monastery Gardens Tour: 11.45 & 14.45

Location & directions

Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Radstock, Somerset, BA3 4RH

Contact on day:

Diane Brunning

Telephone number:

+441225694617

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Some areas of the abbey church are up or down stairs and are inaccessible to wheelchairs/pushchairs. Some parts of the gardens are uneven and care should be taken in these areas. Appropriate footwear is advised.

Additional information

Est. tour duration:

1 hour(s) 0 minute(s)

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