Mount St Bernard Abbey

Mount St Bernard Abbey is a Trappist monastery in Charley near Coalville, sitting on a hill above Leicestershire. The buildings rise in dark stone following a Gothic Revival style with high pointed arches and a central church tower, while monastery gardens and fruit trees spread across the surrounding fields.

The abbey was founded in 1835 and became the first Catholic monastery in England since the dissolution of monasteries under Henry VIII in the 16th century. The community grew with monks from France and Ireland who rebuilt religious life in the region after nearly three centuries of interruption.

Monks follow the strict rule of the Trappist order and spend their days in silent prayer and manual work. Visitors can buy honey from the abbey's beehives or see pottery made in the workshops.

The abbey shop opens on weekdays and Saturday, while the brewery runs its own shop on weekends only. The church is open for quiet visits, but travelers should remember the monastery setting and keep noise to a minimum.

The brewery produces Tynt Meadow, the only Trappist beer brewed in Britain and made according to strict monastery rules. The monks use the income to maintain the abbey and support charitable projects in the area.