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Minster Abbey

Welcome to the St. Mary & St. Sexburga (Minster Abbey) Home page. Here you will find the latest news, upcoming events and everything to do with Minster Abbey.

Minster Abbey, also known as The Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Sexburgha, is a Grade 1 listed building and National Monument which was founded in 664 AD by Queen Sexburga.

Having been badly damaged in the 9th century it was rebuilt in the 12th century with an unusual arrangement of two adjacent “churches”, the Northern Church being for the nuns and the Southern Church for parishioners  During the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII the two adjacent churches led directly to the saving of the Abbey Church. Because the two churches shared a common wall and were linked by arches in the wall, the Abbey Church was spared the destruction wrought on the rest of the Abbey.

Amongst many other artefacts, it also houses the famous de Northwode brasses dating from 1330 and an interesting array of monuments dating from the 14th to the 16th century.

Minster Abbey occupies the highest hilltop position on the Isle of Sheppey and has been a place of worship for over 1,400 years.

The original Abbey Gatehouse, close to the church, is now an interesting local museum.


Location

St Mary & St Sexburga (Minster Abbey), Vicarage Road, Minster on Sea, Sheerness, ME12 2HE.

  • Sun 11am Weekly Sunday Service

  • 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month is a service of Praise and Worship

  • 2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of each month is a service of Shared Holy Communion.

  • There is also a Midweek Shared Holy Communion service on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at Minster Abbey at 10:30am.

  • Our doors are also open to all who wish to enter at the following times:

    • Sundays from 12noon until 2pm
    • Mondays 9am until 12noon
    • Tuesdays 9am until 12noon
    • Wednesdays 9am until 2pm
    • Thursdays 10am until 2pm
    • Fridays 9am until 12noon
    • Saturdays 10am until 2pm

Service times

  • Sun 11am Weekly Sunday Service

  • 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month is a service of Praise and Worship

  • 2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of each month is a service of Shared Holy Communion.

  • There is also a Midweek Shared Holy Communion service on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at Minster Abbey at 10:30am.

  • Our doors are also open to all who wish to enter at the following times:

    • Sundays from 12noon until 2pm
    • Mondays 9am until 12noon
    • Tuesdays 9am until 12noon
    • Wednesdays 9am until 2pm
    • Thursdays 10am until 2pm
    • Fridays 9am until 12noon
    • Saturdays 10am until 2pm

Upcoming Events

Coffee Morning

Come and join us for our weekly coffee morning at Minster Abbey

Tue 12 Dec 2023 9:00 am -11:00 am

Coffee Morning

Come and join us for our weekly coffee morning at Minster Abbey

Tue 19 Dec 2023 9:00 am -11:00 am

Latest News

Combined Parish Service 28th January 2024

Combined Parish Service 28th January 2024

18 November 2023
As you may by now know, Rev Jeanette McLaren announced that she would be retiring at the end of January 2024. Therefore, on 28th January 2024 there will only be one service held in West Sheppey Parish. This is because we are holding a combined Parish Communion Service to mark the last service wi...
Ringing for the King

Ringing for the King

18 June 2023
On 6th May 2023 we witnessed the Coronation of King Charles III; an event which for many was the first they had witnessed in their lifetime.  Our Bell Ringers had a mission! They were determined to let the bells sound out at all our Parish churches in celebration.  It was a wonderful ...

Location

St Mary & St Sexburga (Minster Abbey), Vicarage Road, Minster on Sea, Sheerness, ME12 2HE.


Service times

  • Sun 11am Weekly Sunday Service

  • 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month is a service of Praise and Worship

  • 2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of each month is a service of Shared Holy Communion.

  • There is also a Midweek Shared Holy Communion service on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at Minster Abbey at 10:30am.

  • Our doors are also open to all who wish to enter at the following times:

    • Sundays from 12noon until 2pm
    • Mondays 9am until 12noon
    • Tuesdays 9am until 12noon
    • Wednesdays 9am until 2pm
    • Thursdays 10am until 2pm
    • Fridays 9am until 12noon
    • Saturdays 10am until 2pm

Upcoming Events

Coffee Morning

Come and join us for our weekly coffee morning at Minster Abbey

Tue 12 Dec 2023 9:00 am -11:00 am

Coffee Morning

Come and join us for our weekly coffee morning at Minster Abbey

Tue 19 Dec 2023 9:00 am -11:00 am