Berkshire Family History Society is to host an online talk delving into the history of Douai Abbey, led by Father Geoffrey Scott.
The event will shed light on the journey of the place of worship from its inception in the early 17th century, to its present-day existence.
Its foundation has roots in Paris in 1615, and was a consequential response to the suppression of English Benedictine abbeys by Henry VIII between 1436 and 1540, and follows the demise of the last monk at Westminster Abbey in 1603.
During the French Revolution, when the resident community found themselves incarcerated. In 1794, their freedom was restored and in 1818, the community was re-established in Douai, in northern France, where it stood for nearly a century.
In 1903, the abbey relocated Woolhampton, taking over St Mary’s College.
The online talk is hosted by the Berkshire Family History Society, from 2pm to 3.15pm, on Thursday, August 24. Places cost £5, and should be booked in advance.
For more details, call: 0118 950 9553, or log on to: https://www.berksfhs.org.uk/
