 |
| Douai Abbey - Woolhampton, Berkshire |
Doua
i Abbey is home to a community of monks of the English Benedictine Congregation.
The monastery is under the patronage of St Edmund, King & Martyr, and was founded
in Paris in 1615. Uprooted by the French Revolution it came to settle at Douai in
Flanders. After more political turmoil the community of St Edmund finally returned
to England in 1903, to Woolhampton in Berkshire, at the invitation of the Bishop
of Portsmouth.
i Abbey is home to a community of monks of the English Benedictine Congregation.
The monastery is under the patronage of St Edmund, King & Martyr, and was founded
in Paris in 1615. Uprooted by the French Revolution it came to settle at Douai in
Flanders. After more political turmoil the community of St Edmund finally returned
to England in 1903, to Woolhampton in Berkshire, at the invitation of the Bishop
of Portsmouth.
The interior of the abbey was quite a surprise, as I expected it to look not quite so traditional. When I left, the exterior was once again a surprise, and I felt somewhat as if I had been in two different structures. The interior includes contemporary touches, such as the techie lighting, the crucifix, and the stained glass windows.
 |
| Close-up of the crucifix |
The close-up of the crucifix is stunning. In the abbey, the crucifix is positioned quite high, so the close-up after cropping the photo is an exquisite surprise.
 |
| Stained glass window with cool colors |
 |
| Stained glass window with warm colors |
I intended to post the stories of my travels in chronological order, but I had writer's block when I tried, so the posts will be about whatever strikes my fancy at the moment.
Image of the exterior of the abbey from Wikipedia.
