Beside the main house

Launde Abbey is the residential Retreat House and Conference Centre serving the dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough. Set in beautiful parkland of 450 acres on the border of Leicestershire and Rutland, the Abbey has 45 bedrooms, sleeping 77 people in total, full conference facilities, comprehensive dining facilities, extensive cultivated gardens and the 12th Century Chapel. The Chapel is all that remains of the Augustinian Priory that was founded here in 1119. Together the Launde Community recites the Daily Offices and celebrates a daily Eucharist keeping alive the monastic tradition started here so long ago. Others from the wider Launde community come to say the Midday Office on certain days of the week. This provides the unique ethos of spirituality sought out by many people who come here. Guests are welcome to join the regular prayer life of the Community.

Welcome to Launde

The Launde Abbey Community is joined by a daily staff of about 20. This staff “family” looks after about 7000 overnight guests each year plus a further 2500 day guests and up to another 2500–3000 guests who attend special events during the year. The grounds and gardens have been extensively upgraded. Much of the summer salads are grown and served straight to the table in the summer from the large Victorian walled garden. The parkland is managed through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. We have an excellent working relationship with our neighbouring farmers. During the year we host a wide variety of Diocesan and church groups from the wider churches in Britain for their own programmes of spiritual development. This includes a large number of clergy who come as part of their “cell” groups to refresh and renew their ministry. We run our own programme of Retreats, Quiet Days and Conferences which people are able to join us for. We greatly enjoy the annual summer school for the Leicester Cathedral Choirboys and a number of local schools and churches use the Abbey for confirmation weekends and other activities as we can offer cross-curricular studies. A number of charities and businesses also use Launde for their meetings.

Click here for the brief history of Launde Abbey that appears on the articles page of this web site.

The Launde Prayer

The main chapel

The main house

The normal Abbey daily routine