The impending closure of the Carmelite Monastery of the Holy Spirit, known locally as Kirk Edge Convent, near Sheffield, caused the Victorian Society to seek listed status for the building. The Society are grateful that the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Historic England have kindly responded to our request to list this large set of high quality and imposing buildings at Grade II. The site has retained all the main phases of its changed use from orphanage to monastery.
Nigel Slack, Chair, Victorian Society South Yorkshire, said “The Victorian Society is delighted by this news and by the speedy listing of this important feature of the landscape between High Bradfield and Worral, on the outskirts of Sheffield. This range of buildings is a great example of the longevity of good Victorian architecture and, although starting as an orphanage and later an Industrial School, its development into a Carmelite Monastery retained a cohesive design throughout by Sheffield’s renowned Hadfield family of Catholic Architects. It existed as a Carmelite monastery for over 100 years and has a treasury of original features both inside and out. We dearly hope that, whatever happens next, any new owners will treat it with the respect it deserves.”
The buildings were designed by Hadfield & Son, in a plain, Early English Gothic style, with all its phases by the same architects. The Hadfields, were an important dynasty of Catholic architects. The building was created in 1871 as an orphanage for boys, and was run as an orphanage/industrial school for girls by the Sisters of Charity. It closed as this in 1887 and remained empty for some years. It was opened as a Carmelite monastery in 1911. The former Carmel of the Holy Spirit was gifted to the order by the Duke of Norfolk in 1910, as his sister was a Carmelite nun at the monastery in Notting Hill.
The monastery is stone-built, and is arranged over 2250 sq metres. As well as 28 bedrooms, there is a chapel, choir, antechoir, kitchens, cellars, working rooms and a wood store. The monastery buildings are situated on 17.95 acres of land, with three hermitages and two cemeteries.
The former Carmel of the Holy Spirit is located near to the village of Bradfield, close to the Peak District National Park.
Photos from the building’s recent sale can be viewed here.
