The Monastery Manchester

The Monastery Manchester Designed by E.W. The Monastery was subsequently stripped, vandalised and left tragically derelict.
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The Monastery Manchester | Grade II* Listed Heritage Building & Charitable Trust

Wedding Venue | Special Events | Community | Wellbeing | Music, Arts & Crafts

📧 email us on [email protected]

🌐 themonastery.co.uk Pugin and built back in 1872 for the Franciscan Order, operated as a consecrated place of worship until 1989, when the building and grounds were sold to property developers for a project that was later abandoned. The Grade II* listed building was brought from the brink of destruction in 1996 by a community of volunteers led by Elaine and Paul Griffiths, who bought the ruinous shell for just £1, before proceeding to raise the funds urgently needed to restore this renowned architectural masterpiece. The Monastery is now back where it belongs at the heart of the community.

11/09/2026

At the end of September we return to for our second visit in a space you really have to feel for yourself.

Crystal singing bowls, handpan, harp, monochord, drums and more, filling one of Manchester’s most extraordinary spaces.

Everything else can wait.

For 90 minutes, there is nowhere else you need to be.

Wednesday 30 September · 7pm
The Monastery, Manchester 📍

Comment “Monastery” below or click the link in our bio.

11/09/2026

Some things are worth mending ✨

From clocks and clothing to jewellery and small electrical items, our Repair Café brings together skilled volunteers who love helping people breathe new life into the things they thought were beyond repair ♻️🔧

You'll leave with more than a repaired item. You'll leave having met some wonderfully generous people too.

That's what community looks like 💚

Info here 👉 https://themonastery.co.uk/events/repair-cafe-manchester/

Big thanks to Monastery volunteer, Erin Kennedy, for making today's lovely reel 🙏👏

We're so often made to feel that every minute of our lives must be 'productive.' Our screens shout: "Hurry! Hustle! Impr...
10/09/2026

We're so often made to feel that every minute of our lives must be 'productive.'

Our screens shout: "Hurry! Hustle! Improve! Be the best you!" 😳

So this post is for anyone who needed permission to do something lovely, but pointless today. Or even, nothing at all... 😴

Thanks for the gentle reminder Vex King 🙏 👌

Is someone you love living with dementia? Well today, we're so very pleased to announce that after a well-deserved summe...
09/09/2026

Is someone you love living with dementia?

Well today, we're so very pleased to announce that after a well-deserved summer break, Manchester Camerata's brilliant Music Cafe is back at the Monastery.

🎟️ Free entry
📅 Every Wed, 10.30am-12pm
☕️ Refreshments
📩 Email to [email protected] to reserve a spot or ask any questions

It's hard to overestimate how joyful these Music Cafés can be, so if you do know someone who's living with dementia and you think might benefit, please let them know 🙏

Today's photos are a flashback to previous sessions, including one last year when Andy Burnham (who was Mayor of Manchester at the time) visited the Monastery to see The Music Cafe for himself, and witness the magical impact they can have for those living with the disease 💜

(Little did we know at the time that Andy was about to become the British Prime Minister shortly afterwards!) 💪

More info here 🔗 https://buff.ly/m4i9sng

Every restoration begins with a single step.This photograph, taken around 1996, shows Monastery CEO, Elaine Griffiths, s...
07/09/2026

Every restoration begins with a single step.

This photograph, taken around 1996, shows Monastery CEO, Elaine Griffiths, standing in the crumbling cloisters shortly after she and her husband, Paul, began the campaign to save the building.

At the time, much of the Monastery was in a sorry state, and many people believed it was beyond saving. Elaine saw something different. She saw possibility.

Last week, Elaine joined ALL FM's Vintage Show, choosing music to accompany different chapters of the Monastery's remarkable restoration journey in a programme inspired by the much-loved Desert Island Discs format.

Along the way, she reflects on the challenges, the triumphs and the many people who helped transform one of Manchester's greatest heritage success stories into the thriving community space it is today.

A huge thank you to Dom and Mike at ALL FM 96.9 for inviting Elaine to share the Monastery's story. 💜

🎧 You can listen to the full programme here 👉️ https://buff.ly/SmFJpfU

04/09/2026

"Most of all, it's the people."

When we asked one of our gardening volunteers what she enjoys most about coming along for our community gardening session each week, that was her answer.

Of course, the flowers are lovely, and the gardens are becoming more beautiful and more productive every season. And that's deeply satisfying.

But time and again, we hear the same thing. It's the conversations. The laughter.
The friendships. And the feeling of being part of something.

The gardening just happens to be the excuse!

If you'd like to find out more about joining our community garden volunteers, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop Vicki a quick email on: [email protected], or just pop in and see us at the Monastery sometime and introduce yourself 😊

There's so much on at our beautiful Monastery this month! 💛 👉️ Enjoy live concerts 👉️ Get creative with art👉️ Attend boo...
03/09/2026

There's so much on at our beautiful Monastery this month! 💛

👉️ Enjoy live concerts
👉️ Get creative with art
👉️ Attend book launches
👉️ Get involved with community groups
👉️ Explore history with talks & tours
👉️ Get glowing on a wellbeing workshop

It's easy to see what's in store this month by having a quick flick through our free September guide, have a browse by tapping here 👉️ https://buff.ly/5iqRWEp

Big thanks to DDw for today's lovely arial photo 🙏 👌 👏

In this week's quest for 'easy (free) ways to de-stress' we learned a thing or two about the humble little birds darting...
03/09/2026

In this week's quest for 'easy (free) ways to de-stress' we learned a thing or two about the humble little birds darting all around us, blessing our trees, fences (and TV ariels!) with flashes of colour and melodious sound. Here's what we found 🤓

Mental Health Improvement
Listening to birdsong has been shown to help humans' mental well-being. It can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and calmness.

Stress Reduction
Birdsong can lower stress levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. This soothing effect is beneficial even in urban environments, where natural sounds can counteract the stress caused by city noise.

Connection to Nature
Birdsong fosters a connection to nature, which is essential for mental health. Engaging with natural sounds can evoke feelings of safety and peace, tapping into our evolutionary instincts that associate these sounds with a secure environment.

Who knew?! 💚

A wide variety of little birds seem to enjoy the Monastery gardens, please feel free to join them. They're free to enjoy and there's even a tiny library with books about nature for you to flick through, plus benches, and a lovely, peaceful pond (thanks Gary!).

Open Sun-Thu, 10am-4pm.

Many thanks to 18-year-old Max Gindele (
IG) for today's beautiful photo of a very pretty little blue tit) 💙 🙏 👏

Many thanks to Quays Life Magazine and in particular, Lorraine Worsley-Carter for her wonderful article about the Monast...
02/09/2026

Many thanks to Quays Life Magazine and in particular, Lorraine Worsley-Carter for her wonderful article about the Monastery's recently installed, replacement Victorian Wadsworth organ. The original was sold for scrap in the 1980s when the Monastery was sold and stripped of anything of value, before being left derelict and almost lost forever.

To say The Monastery Trust is delighted to have restored such a similar piece, especially during the 30th anniversary year of the Monastery's restoration project is an understatement, and we're so very grateful to everyone who helped us raise the funds needed to make it happen 🙏

To read the (almost miraculous) story of the restoration, you can read Lorraine's full article here 👉️ https://buff.ly/eurGNLl

Quays Life

What inspired some of history's greatest scientific minds? 🤔📚On Sunday, 6th September, New York Times bestselling author...
02/09/2026

What inspired some of history's greatest scientific minds? 🤔📚

On Sunday, 6th September, New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Black (real name Mark Booth) visits The Monastery to launch his thought-provoking new book, The Secret History of the Universe.

Blending history, philosophy and scientific discovery, Jonathan explores how some of history's greatest scientific minds were inspired not only by observation and experimentation, but also by imagination, mystical thought and enduring questions about the nature of reality.

During this special event, Jonathan will be interviewed about his latest work before opening the floor to audience questions. The morning concludes with the opportunity to meet the author and have your copy personally signed. 📚✨

🎟️ Entry is free, and The Secret History of the Universe will be available to buy on the day.

Whether you're fascinated by history, science, mysticism, philosophy or simply enjoy exploring big ideas, everyone is welcome.

Full details here 👉 https://buff.ly/DAbeW41

Address

89 Gorton Lane
Manchester
M125WF

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441612233211

Website

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