In 1120 Norbert, a young nobleman disillusioned with the state of the Church, founded a new Religious Community of likeminded priests at Prémontré in the north of France. His ideal was that, as priests, they would live together and serve the pastoral needs of the locality. This new Order, following the Rule of St Augustine, grew at a remarkable speed, attracted lay people as well as clerics and spread across northern Europe, arriving in England in 1143 when they founded a monastery at Newhouse, Lincolnshire.

By the time of the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII in the mid-sixteenth century, there were thirty-four Norbertine abbeys in England, Scotland and Wales, including Bayham and Torre in the south, Halesowen and Welbeck in the midlands, Easby and Alnwick in the north and Dryburgh in Scotland. By the end of Henry's reign the canons had all been thrown out of their houses which, together with the land, were given to court favourites.

In Europe, however, they persisted and in France, although the French Revolution had meant much destruction, a monastery had been established at Frigolet, near Tarascon in Provence. They too suffered when, in the early 1880's an anticlerical government evicted them from their house, forcing the canons to seek refuge elsewhere.

On 1st February 1882, six of these French canons landed at Newhaven in Sussex. News of their plight had reached Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, through Cardinal Howard and the Empress Eugenie of France. The Duke welcomed them and invited them to build a monastery in Storrington, West Sussex. Storrington was chosen simply because the Duke had regained the Lordship of the Manor of Storrington in 1879. The canons were first accommodated in a house on School Hill with an old malthouse to serve as a church. However, under the Duke's patronage work was begun on a new monastery on the outskirts of the village. In 1902, Cardinal Bourne, then Bishop of Southwark, laid the foundation stone of the new church. The Norbertine Canons had been used to entrusting their lives and work to the patronage of Notre Dame de France; they decided to dedicate their new venture to Our Lady of England. It is interesting to note that every one of the parishes into which the Manor of Storrington extended was dedicated, in Catholic times, to Our Lady: Storrington itself, Billingshurst, Thakeham, West Chiltington and Pulborough.

The canons arrival was met with some hostility. On a little hill outside the monastery, still known by some as 'The Field of the Cross', they created the cemetery which is still in use today by the Catholic community. In the middle of this cemetery stands an impressive crucifix, the figure having been restored and remounted after the destructive October storm of 1987. However, between the monastery and the church, now the cloister garden, was the original 'Field of the Cross' where Francis Thompson was inspired to write his 'Ode to the Setting Sun' ('Yet in this field where the Cross planted reigns ...'). One night this cross was hacked down by a group of young locals. It is worth noting that one of them repented and later, after he had been received into the Church, presented in reparation the crucifix that stands in the cemetery. The crucifix which inspired Francis Thompson now hangs in the cloister where it was taken for safety.

Thompson had been brought to the monastery by Wilfred and Alice Meynell to recover from ill-health and depression brought on by opium addiction. He wrote 'To Daisy'; the lines 'The hills look over on the South, And southward dreams the sea' were inspired by his frequent walks up Jacob's Ladder, a steep climb up the Downs to Kithurst Hill. He also began work on the famous 'Hound of Heaven' whilst staying at the monastery.

The church itself was built in a simple, dignified style and has been sympathetically re-ordered in line with the liturgical guidelines of the Second Vatican Council of the 1960's. Above and behind the altar is a niche in which is enshrined the statue of Our Lady of England, the work of the sculptor Ferdinand Stueflesser, an Austrian artist. In 1959 the statue was crowned by the Bishop of Southwark with the approval of Pope Pius XII and later a rosary, blessed by Pope John XXIII for the purpose, was placed in her right hand.

The work of the canons continues: the care of of the Catholic parish of Storrington is in their hands, as is much chaplaincy work in schools, hospitals and prisons. Their principal obligation within the monastery is the singing of the Divine Office and celebration of Mass. In addition to this, they continue to welcome groups of pilgrims and retreatants, young and old and groups of local people for various functions. This ministry of hospitality is long-standing and was noted by the poet Hilaire Belloc in his piece 'Courtesy', written on 17 May 1908 after a visit to the monastery - 'On Monks I did in Storrington fall, they took me straight into their Hall ...' (If you wish to see a copy of the original manuscript, dedicated to the Prior of Storrington, please click the link here).

At present the community of Norbertines in Storrington are trying to discern how best to use this considerable building in the spirit of St Norbert but in the 21st century.

For full information on the Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré please click here

For a more detailed history of the Norbertine Order with historical photos, written by Fr Andrew Smith, o.praem. to celebrate 125 years of our presence in Storrington, please click here

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