Holy Cross Abbey

HAMPRESTON SU 00 SE STAPEHILL 6/42 Holy Cross Abbey - II Abbey. House of the early C19, monastic buildings of the 1840's, church of 1847-51 by Charles Hansom and later conventual buildings. A monastery for Cistercian nuns (migrating from Revolutionary France), comprising ranges of domestic and conventual buildings to the south of the church. Walls of brickwork in English and Flemish bonds. Steep slate roof to the church, slate roof to the ranges, with tile roof to the later extensions. The church has two parts in parallel (for lay and monastic use), each with a chancel of two bays and nave of five bays, also a (later) aisle to the north of the lay nave. The general style is Early English; lancets and coupled lancets (beneath quatrefoils) and large east windows to the coupled gables, the west end having a large window at the north side, the south side gable being merged with a slender tower, narrowed at the bells stage and terminating in a tall pyramid roof. Although there is a north porch, the main entrance is in the west gable. Inside, there are two arcades, with octagonal columns with moulded caps, with a screen separating the churches. The ranges encompass the earlier house (occupied 1802) and there is a west elevation of two storeys, with a main entrance in the form of a Gothic porch. The cemetery contains a memorial cross of 1844 by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, commemorating the abbess Mde.de Chabannes. RCHM

Listing NGR: SU0542600314