Community Matters: Did you know Paignton had a monastery?

Did you know that Paignton had a Monastery?

Not many people do as it’s rather hidden away now, behind houses and trees at the top of Berry Drive off Colley End Road, but once upon a time it could be seen standing silently on the hill, serving as a beacon for seafarers returning to port. There is even a heritage brown ‘Monastery’ sign at the bottom of Berry Drive directing you up there if you wanted to see it.

This beautiful but unlisted building with its statue of Mary holding the infant Jesus atop the roof, is once again up for sale by Torbay Council and the community around the building is rightfully concerned that a developer may tear it down with an eye on doing something else with the site and we don’t want that!

Councillor Cat Johns has already suggested community use as there is no hub or central meeting point in Clifton & Maidenway and it desperately needs one. Together, we visited the building a couple of weeks ago to see the state of it. Not too bad considering it’s been empty since 2017 when Anode was the last organisation to use it.

Built in the Victorian era from local red sandstone a Catholic Order of Marist Fathers resided there from 1883 and  hundreds of students used to pass through Paignton on their way to the priesthood, but the numbers dwindled until the monastery had to rely on selling garden produce from its grounds (now a public woodland) and letting rooms to survive, until they finally moved to London in 1971.

We believe this lovely building should serve the local community, and we have a few suggestions for how it could be financially self-sustaining. One idea is to tap into the growing Pilgrimage phenomenon in Britain, which is all about rediscovering local heritage, landscapes, and traditions. 

We’d love to hear your ideas for this beautiful old monastery. We think we’ve lost enough of our heritage already, so if you’d like to preserve it for Paignton, please get in touch as soon as possible.

Email:  cat.johns@torbay.gov.uk Mobile:  07954 567320

E-mail: leahwhitcher@tobaycdt.org.uk Mobile: 07703 715235