Gorton Monastery

Background

Gorton Monastery is a unique landmark building within the Gorton area of East Manchester.Built in 1863-72 for the Franciscan order and designed by E W Pugin, it was one of the most important Franciscan centres for the Catholic Church in England. It was also the parish church for the people of Gorton and a focal point of community life. The Monastery is historically very important, reflected in its Grade II* listing and has been included on the World Monuments Fund list of the 100 Most Endangered Monuments in the World.

The loss of population and jobs within east Manchester, together with social changes in the area, during the 1970s and 1980s resulted in a dwindling congregation for the Monastery and in 1989 the Franciscan monks closed the doors and vacated the site. After a period of 7 years it was acquired for £1 by Gorton Monastery Trust who established as a Preservation Trust in 1996 with the sole and dedicated purpose of saving the endangered Monastery.

Taking the Scheme forward

Gorton Monastery Trust became active in 1996 and put together a scheme to secure the re-use and restoration of the Monastery. Working closely with NEM, the North West Development Agency, the City Council and English Partnerships, the Trust secured £1.8m ERDF and £3.659 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

In June 2007 the restoration of the Monastery was completed, and it was officially opened as a banqueting and conference centre. Its flexible space accommodates up to 500 people and is ideal for events from product launches and corporate celebrations to large social occasions. For smaller, more intimate occasions, the Private Chapel can hold up to 50 people and is perfect for private dining or small business events.

Gorton Monastery Village

In August 07 detailed plans for Gorton Monastery Village, comprising of 69 two and three storey family houses on the 4.7 acre site adjacent to the Monastery, were approved by Manchester City Council.

National housebuilder, Gleeson, along with their architects Taylor Young, has designed eight unique house types specifically for this scheme and all houses will benefit from a private garden and an allocated parking space. In keeping with both the Victorian industrial and residential architecture in the area, paired gables and generous proportions have been incorporated into the design including large, long windows that will create a light, airy feel.