Downside Abbey Archive and Library is part of the patrimony of the English Benedictine monastic Community of St Gregory the Great. Resident in Douai (1606), Acton Burnell (1795), Stratton on the Fosse (1814), Buckfast Abbey (2022) and Belmont Abbey (2025). The monks remain owners of the Archive & Library, which is in Stratton on the Fosse, Somerset. The Community see this resource as part of their heritage and welcome users to share its resources. The Community withdrew from educational mission in 2019 and have refocused their mission and ethos towards a renewal of monastic, cultural and intellectual life. The Grade 2 listed iconic 1970s Library building conforms to British and International standards for archival management and collections care.
Collections held
The archive and library form part of the Abbey’s Special Collections, incorporating the material culture (plate, relics, vestments and paintings) from the Monastery and Basilica. Key collections of the archive include:
- The Archive of the English Benedictine Congregation.
- The Archive of St Gregory the Great.
- Abbot’s Archive.
- The English Martyrs Collection.
- The Haslemere Collection (Brussels).
- Architectural Collection.
- Photographic Collection (1854-2025).
- Daniel Parsons Collection.
- Brookfield Collection.
Access
The Abbey is accessible from Bristol Airport, by car via the M5/M4, and by public transport from Bath. Trains to Bath from most destinations are either direct (e.g. from London) or by region (usually via Bristol). The Abbey Church is open to visitors Mon-Fri (10am to 4pm). The archives are available for consultation Tuesdays and Thursdays (10am to 4 pm). Individual requests for access outside of these times may be available. Facilities include free WiFi.
Contact details
Enquiries to: Downside Abbey Special Collections, Downside Abbey, Stratton on the Fosse,
Bath, BA3 4RH
e-mail: heritage@downsideabbey.co.uk
tel.: 01749 717116
catholicarchivesociety.org 