The Abbey Church of St Michael in Farnborough is truly a hidden gem on the Hampshire-Surrey border.  Commissioned by the French Imperial Empress Eugenie to house the bodies of her husband, Napoleon III, and their son, Prince Louis, the Abbey Church is also home to a small community of Benedictine monks who live a traditional life of prayer, work and study in accordance with the 1500 year old Rule of St Benedict.

Surrounded by woodland and green fields, the Abbey Church is a wonderful place to visit with its beautiful French Neo-Gothic architecture and the powerful atmosphere of peace and beauty.  The Abbey Church also houses the National Catholic Shrine to St Joseph in a stunning altar, together with a leg of the first English Martyr, St Alban, killed in 256 for being Catholic.

As if that wasn't enough the beautiful Cavaillé-Coll organ is internationally renowned as one of the finest in the world and is regularly played as part of the cultural and historical treasury on offer at the Abbey.

After over 120 years of constant use (the monks go to Church 7 times during the day and once in the middle of the night), the Church is badly in need of some internal restoration to the stonework to help all share and appreciate this great resource. More can be learned of the Abbey, its Church and its Community at www.farnboroughabbey.org