For over 900 years the site of Launde Abbey has been a place of prayer and of hospitality. From the days of the 12thcentury Augustinian Launde Priory, through the heyday of the Tudor Manor House with its estate and family chapel, right through to its present day as a Christian place of retreat for people from all walks of life.
Today Launde Abbey is a place of prayer, hospitality, community and sanctuary. These are part of the story of our past, and they still describe our life and work today.
Our character
‘A place where the presence of God is more easily felt.’ With the pace of life today, it is hard to find space to pause and nourish your spiritual life, but there are places and communities that can help. Launde Abbey is one of them.
A place of prayer
At the centre of the Abbey’s life is the daily rhythm of services that take place in the Abbey’s chapel – a continuous heartbeat of prayer. The Augustinian canons would have practised a pattern of life framed by prayer, and today most days in the Abbey begin with a eucharist or service of holy communion. Each day our prayers look inwards for the life of the Abbey and our guests and look outwards to hold the needs of others before God. All guests are invited to participate in the prayer life which ebbs and flows as people come and go. Some find their own pattern of prayer or mindful reflection elsewhere in the buildings and grounds – there are other chapels and corners to tuck yourself away – and some days it seems as though prayer and worship are taking place right across the site. Even if you come without a Christian faith, or you are just passing through, many attest that you will find this a spiritual place, and you are welcome.
“I find Launde Abbey to be a ‘thin place’ – where the presence of God is more easily felt, and where prayer and devotion come freely and creatively.” Baptist pastor Chris
A place of hospitality
The statue of the welcoming Christ symbolises our commitment to generous hospitality and welcome. Just as those living in the manor house in the past would have welcomed guests, we welcome you into our extended household when you come to the Abbey today. The hospitality of the table and of accommodation is complemented by spiritual hospitality that says just come and be. Many come back over and over again and tell us that the Abbey is a kind of ‘home’ to them.
“For over 30 years, Launde has been our spiritual sanctuary where we have met for prayer, mutual support, and rest. Although our ministries have taken us to different places, it is to Launde [Abbey] that we have always returned.” Anglican Rector Steve.
A place of community
In the days of the Priory, this site was the home for a community of Augustinian canons who lived and learned here and then went out from here to serve in parishes across a wide area. Today there are many communities centred on the Abbey. There are those who live on site for whom this is literally their home and the permanent staff who work here. There are those groups and networks who meet and stay for a while to deepen working relationships or friendships before heading out, some of them to serve people in other places in contemporary ways. Beyond these is a wider network of those who support the Abbey as volunteers or who give financially to our work. Many people find paths crossing unexpectedly here, resulting in moments of serendipitous conversation or the gentle, silent companionship of retreat.
“The location, space and tranquillity of the stunning scenery has been the perfect place to develop ideas, papers and projects, but also enabled us to spend time together as a group and fostered collegiality.” University Academic Caroline.
A place of sanctuary
Coming here, into this hidden fold in the Leicestershire countryside, many find themselves better able to step aside from the challenges of life. They find rest, replenishment and inspiration. Whatever their faith or practice, people find the Abbey to be a place of spiritual significance: sanctuary in the sense of being sacred.
The Abbey as a sanctuary also embraces nature. We are actively developing our gardens and encouraging bio-diversity: planting new herbaceous borders, growing more vegetables for the table, and letting wild flowers grow in the grass. Our birdwatching retreats recognize the rich local birdlife.
The Abbey also is a sanctuary in the sense of a safe place, where diversity is welcomed, where you can do some figuring out or take time for a reset, where you can fall apart or put yourself together again, and where you can let the tears fall or find a new well of joy, or where you can just stop and breathe again.
“Be lovers of spiritual beauty,
spreading the aroma of Christ
through your goodness of life.”
The Rule of St Augustine: On staying faithful
How Launde Abbey is set up
Launde Abbey today is run by an independent charitable trust and a board of trustees. We are the diocesan retreat house for the dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough and we partner with them in various ways, however, on a day-to-day basis we are financially independent, sustaining ourselves by our work of hospitality. Our income is over £1m per year.
The Warden (or CEO) is supported by a senior team consisting of the Deputy Warden (who is also a senior member of the Ministry Team), the Operations Manager, the Business Development Manager, and the Accountant. The Trust employs around 40 staff who work on activities such as taking bookings, managing communications, maintenance, gardening, housekeeping, serving meals, cooking, leading prayer and pastoral care. And there are 20 or so volunteers on our books, largely working in the garden or as chaplains.
You can find our latest annual report summary here.
Groups
We host meetings, training, workshops and away days for a wide range of groups. Groups come for the day, or for a few nights. Some of these are churches and church-linked organisations, but many are not, though all appreciate the special atmosphere of the Abbey. Here are some of the groups we’ve enjoyed welcoming in the last year or so:
- Yoga Workshop
- Prison charity trustees’ weekend
- Care home network staff
- Choral weekend
- Sewing group
- National church network leaders’ gathering
- Training programme for therapists using the creative arts
- Anglican curates training
- Methodist lay minister’s training
- Vineyard church leaders’
- Hospital chaplaincy group
- Baptist church away day
- Writing group
- Cell groups
- Quaker social action groups
- Education board’s residential
- Confirmation retreats
- Photographic society residential
- Circle dancing groups
- Meditation groups
And many more…
For more about booking a group meeting or staying at Launde Abbey please click here.
Private individuals and personal retreatants
Individuals or couples also come here either booking into one of the retreats on our programme or bringing their own activities, perhaps reading, writing, praying, resting or reflecting. In either case, you can come for the day or come to stay. Many who come as private individuals or couples participate in the Abbey’s life of prayer, but you don’t have to. You are welcome just to enjoy the peace and the spiritual atmosphere. Find out more here.
We run a programme of retreats and quiet days. Some are based around led addresses, some around activities, and some both. Some are silent or include periods of silence. Some focus on learning or rediscovering spiritual practices, some are themed around stages of life. Some are aimed at beginners in prayer or making a retreat, some for those more experienced. All give space and support for prayer. To explore what’s on offer, click here.
Visitors to the Abbey café, grounds, services and events
Anyone can visit the café and grounds, and attend our services. However, the Main House (including the Chapel) and the Stables are reserved for residents. Our café and grounds are almost always open during the day.
We run a series of concerts in the Chapel on Sunday afternoons which many combine with a cream tea and perhaps with Sunday Lunch. Before Christmas each year, we offer Christmas meals with a daily carol service in the Chapel.