St Michael's Abbey, Farnborough

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Saint Michael's Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, founded in 1881 by the Empress Eugénie (1826–1920) as a mausoleum for her late husband Napoleon III (1808–1873), Emperor of the French, and their son the Prince Imperial (1856–1879), both of whom are buried in the Imperial crypt, as is Empress Eugénie herself.

After the church and monastery were founded by the Empress Eugenie, they were initially administered by Premonstratensian Canons. In 1895, the Empress replaced them with French Benedictine monks from Solesmes. This community, famed for its scholarly writing and musical tradition of Gregorian chants, became depleted in numbers by 1947 and was augmented by a small group English monks of Prinknash Abbey. The last French monk died at Farnborough in the 1960's. In 2006 the community elected the first English Abbot of Farnborough - the Right Reverend Dom Cuthbert Brogan. The monks are known for their Latin liturgy, sung in Gregorian Chant, and their fine printing and publishing work.

The Abbey Church was designed in an eclectic flamboyant gothic style by the renowned French architect Gabriel-Hippolyte Destailleur.

The Abbey Church is home to a renowned two-manual organ, installed in 1905, built by the renowned firm of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll & Company: however, by this time, Cavaillé-Coll was dead and the firm being run by his son-in-law, Charles Mutin. Organ recitals are held on the first Sunday afternoon of the month between May and October.

[edit] External links

• Official website of St Michael's Abbey, Farnborough
• Website about the famous Cavaillé-Coll organ in Farnborough Abbey