Minster Abbey
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Overview
Minster Abbey was founded by the Mercian queen Ermenburga in the 7th century, and according to legend, the boundaries were set by the wanderings of her pet deer – which then became the symbol for the church. St Mildred, the second abbess, became a focus for pilgrimages to the site, and the abbey thrived until the Dissolution. The Norman buildings later served as a manor house, but in 1937 nuns from Eichstatt in Germany established a new Benedictine community here. The international flavour continues today, with nuns representing some eight countries from around the world. Visitors are welcome to the abbey chapel, and to view the historic buildings and gardens on guided tours.
Features
- Opening Times
- Open all year
- Opening Times: Chapel open all year, daily 5.30am–8.45pm; guided tours of historic abbey buildings May–Sep, Mon–Fri 2.45–3.45, Sat 11–12pm, and by arrangement
- Facilities
- Parking onsite
- Parking nearby
About the area
Kent is home to the White Cliffs of Dover, an English icon that marks the point where the Kent Downs AONB stretches from the Surrey Hills down to the sea. Visitors can explore historic parklands, including Knole Park and Sir Winston Churchill’s former home at Chartwell, or beautiful nature reserves, such as the coppiced woodlands of Denge Wood and Earley Wood and the ancient fine chalk woodland of Yockletts Bank.
Places to eat nearby View all
Nearby places to stay
View all (8)
Nearby places to stay
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