The abbey church will be closed between 1.30pm and 3.45pm on Mon 22 Sept and between 10am and 5.45pm Tues (23rd), Weds (24th), Thurs (25th). Mass at 9am each day, open to all. Please note that Crief Lodges are closed from 16-30 September 2025. York Lodge is unavailable from 16 September ufn. Please see the Holiday Lodges page for more details.

O Beauty, ever ancient, ever new

St Benedict would almost certainly have known these words of St Augustine, and they continue to raise the heart to God today.

Rooted in the ancient monastic tradition and transplanted to this stunning location, the Stanbrook Community invites you to join us in creating a new setting for our journey together into God’s eternal beauty. In these pages we wish to share something of the wonder of creation in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and to make available some of the riches our Christian monastic heritage.

Benedictine life

Monastic life is a combination of many different elements and as Benedictines we try to keep these in balance and harmony so that we live in a way that reflects our commitment to Prefer Nothing Whatever to Christ.
We pray that in exploring this new website you will discover more about our way of life and different ways in which you can be supported in your faith and connected with us.

Please be patient as we grow in confidence and proficiency to add new content to the site.

Our shop

We sell a wide range of books and cards for all occasions. Some of the crafts practised by sisters in the community are also on sale, weaving, calligraphy, poetry and photography.
If you can’t find what you are looking for please do ask, we may be able to help!

Rule of St Benedict for the day

Let us do as saith the prophet: I said, I will take heed unto my ways, that I offend not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth. I was dumb and was humbled, and kept silence even from good words.1 Here the prophet shows that if we ought at times to refrain from good words for the sake of silence, how much more ought we to abandon evil talk because of the penalties of sin. Therefore, on account of the great value of silence, let leave to speak be seldom granted to observant disciples, even though it be for good, holy, and edifying conversations; for it is written: In much speaking thou shalt not escape sin;2 and elsewhere: Death and life are in the power of the tongue.3 For it becometh the master to speak and to teach; but it befits the disciple to be silent and to listen.