St. Hugh's Charterhouse, Parkminster, Gothic Revival monastery in Cowfold, England.
St. Hugh's Charterhouse, also known as Parkminster, is a Carthusian monastery in Cowfold, West Sussex, built in the Gothic Revival style. It is one of the largest monasteries of its kind in Europe, with a church, communal buildings, and individual monk cells all linked by covered walkways.
The Carthusians were expelled from England during the Reformation under Henry VIII, when all religious houses were dissolved. They returned in 1873 and chose this site in Sussex to build a new monastery, reviving their presence in the country after more than three centuries away.
Each monk lives in a separate cell that has its own small garden, giving the complex the appearance of a small village rather than a single building. The covered walkway connecting the cells is long enough that monks rarely need to go outside during their daily routines.
The monastery is set in the countryside of West Sussex and can be seen from a distance, with the tall church spire acting as a landmark. Access is very restricted since monks still live and pray here, so any visit should be approached with respect for the community's way of life.
The community at Parkminster operates its own printing press, which the monks use to produce religious texts and books. This craft, carried out alongside prayer as part of daily work, is one of the few places in England where monastic printing is still practiced today.
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