Minster Abbey Chronological Table

670 Foundation of St Mary’s Monastery by St Domneva
690 St Mildred (2nd abbess)
725 St Edburga (3rd abbess)
735 Construction of the new monastery with the church of SS Peter and Paul
751 Abbess Sigeburg (4th abbess)
790 Abbess Seldritha (5th abbess)
ca. 755-980s Repeated Viking invasions, Destruction of convent by the Danes, Site reverts to the crown
1027 Site granted by King Canute to St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury
Construction of West (Saxon) Wing, Church and Lighthouse (west tower)
1031 St Mildred’s relics translated to St Augustine’s Abbey
1066 Norman Conquest
1075-1150 Erection of Great Hall, Tithe Barn and East Grange
1388 Pope Urban VI approves the universal veneration of St Mildred
1413 Restorations and alterations by Abbot Tobias Hunden
1538 Dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII
Minster Court passes to the Crown;  Abbey Church demolished
1610 Minster Court granted to Sir Philip Carey and others by James I
1881 Feast of St Mildred restored in Thanet under Pope Leo XIII
1928 Minster Abbey purchased by Mr and Mrs Senior
1937 25th March – Minster bought by the Benedictine nuns of St Walburga’s Abbey, Eichstatt, Bavaria, and re-founded as a monastic community
1939/1940 Britain enters the war – nuns of Minster interned at Teignmouth Abbey, Devon
1944 Return of the nuns to Minster in November
1953
A relic of St Mildred is brought back to Minster Abbey
1954 Opening of Noviciate
1950s-1960s Building of the temporary Chapel of Our Lady of Peace
Extension of the Guesthouse and farm
1970 1300th anniversary of the foundation of Minster Abbey
1987 Golden Jubilee of foundation
22nd August – destruction of Chapel by fire
18th October – Hurricane sweeps South East England
1993 Dedication of the Chapel of Our Lady and St Andrew
1996

2006

 St Mildred’s Priory, Minster, becomes an independent monastery

Opening of the Bethany Wing
2009

2012

 Opening  of Parkminster Grange and Gardens

MINSTER ABBEY COMMUNITY CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF RE-FOUNDATION