Aylesford priory in England run by the Carmelites
Aylesford Priory or ‘The Friars’ is a Carmelite priory in Aylesford, near Maidstone, Kent, in England.
It was founded by the first Carmelites in 1242 who came from the Holy Land under the patronage of the crusader Richard de Grey, who gave them a small piece of land at his manor of Aylesford.
In 1247 the Archbishop of Rochester officially recognised the Aylesford Carmelites, and the first church for the newly established order was dedicated the following year. The early Carmelites had been hermits, but they then became mendicants, meaning they could not own property and relied on begging or charitable donations.
The Priory is known for the traditional vision, during the 16th century, that St Simon Stock had of Our Lady, promising her protection to those who wore the Carmelite habit, and the wearing of the scapular subsequently became an important Marian devotion in the Church.
Some believe the vision happened at Aylesford but it is more commonly thought to have occurred in Cambridge.
During the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538 under the reign of King Henry VIII, Aylesford priory passed into the hands of Sir Thomas Wyatt of Allington Castle. The Wyatts lost their lands under Queen Mary and later, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir John Sedley took over the property. He made considerable alterations to the buildings in the 1590s.
In 1633, Sir Peter Rycaut, bought Aylesford Priory, but during the war, the Priory was sequestrated by parliamentary forces and served for a time as the meeting place of the Parliamentary Committee for Kent. In 1657 Sir John Banks bought the priory and in the 1670s turned it into a fine Caroline mansion. The mansion was inherited by Elizabeth Banks, whose husband later became the 1st Earl of Aylesford.
During the twentieth century Mrs Woolsey and her son-in-law, lavished care on the house which soon became an important centre for scouting activities. In 1930, a fire broke out causing immense damage to the building.
Finally in 1949, the Carmelites were given the chance to buy back Aylesford Priory. Fr Malachy Lynch became the first Prior, and began restoring the buildings. Within a short time, it became a flourishing pilgrimage centre. During restoration, many of the original medieval features were brought back to light from under centuries of later building. Fr Malachy conceived the idea of an open-air shrine and with some benefactors gathered craftsmen and artists to help him. He described The Priory as “a prayer in stone.”
In 1965, in the presence of Cardinal Heenan and the Archbishop Cyril Cowderoy, the Shrine was rededicated to serve as a centre of prayer for all Christians in Kent and a place of peace for those who search for meaning in their lives. It now serves as a retreat and conference centre, and welcomes residential visitors and tourists.
One of the most recent additions at Aylesford Priory is a narrow walled garden extending from the 16th century gatehouse. The gatehouse was built for defence, guarding the entrance to the site when the priory was a mansion following the Dissolution. The garden is laid out along a walkway paved with stones bearing the word 'peace' in over 300 languages.
The Priory also has a leafy trail along the River Medway called the Rosary Way which leads to a shrine depicting St. Simon Stock's traditional scapular vision. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have walked this same trail over the centuries.
A large square with long benches is situated at the centre of the priory. Several shrines are laid out around this square, including a Choir Chapel, Cloister Chapel, St Joseph’s Chapel, and the Main Shrine, with a huge sculpture of the Virgin Mary. The priory also contains a Relic Chapel, which houses a reliquary containing the skull of St Simon Stock.
The medieval Priory houses an 80bedroomed guesthouse set within acres of beautiful grounds and welcomes individuals looking for peace and quiet, catering also for group retreats and conferences.
Visitors are welcome to join the Carmelite Community at any of the daily services.
We urge all those devoted to Our Lady of Mount Carmel to visit this blessed Priory.