The Abbey 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 is also the home of 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.  More can be learned of the Abbey and its community by visiting their website at www.farnboroughabbey.org

The Abbey community is appealing for funds to help them maintain and present this hidden gem to all who value English heritage.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.