Belmont at 100: Photos from the Archives
Abbot Brendan Thomas • July 22, 2020
This year we mark the Centenary of Belmont becoming an independent Abbey. (It was built and founded in 1859 and up to this point the monastery had mainly served as a Common Novitiate and House of Studies, and the church as a Cathedral). Here are some historic photographs.
It is sad that we have not been able to celebrate together this Centenary as we had planned. We have dug these photos out of our archives. They reveal what Belmont looked like at different times in the past.
Written on the back of this photo is "50th Anniversary of the Cathedral Priory (the only one in the world!)"
This historic status would change 5 years later when Belmont became an independent Abbey.
Belmont in 1859: The could be the oldest photo we have of Belmont, the year it was built. Notice the original entrance to the church on the south side, which is now the Memorial Altar chapel.
At a solemn Mass, the feast of St Basil and St Gregory, Br Alban makes his promises as a claustral oblate.
Belmont Abbey Organ is the second largest organ in the County of Herefordshire. It has 3 manuals (keyboards) and 54 stops and is second only to the organ of Hereford Cathedral (4 Manuals and 67 stops) - Belmont has the largest organ in our Catholic Diocese.