Stanbrook Abbey was founded in Flanders in 1623 under the auspices of the English Benedictine Congregation as a contemplative house of Benedictine nuns.
The community was resident at Callow End, near Worcester, England since 1838, but announced in April 2002 that it would be moving. Abbess Joanna Jamieson made the announcement that the Abbey would move from its landmark Victorian abbey, with its 79,000 sq. ft. of monastic buildings, including an Edward Pugin church 'to make the best use of its human and financial resources'. The Abbey looked at possible sites all over the country until it bought Crief Farm at Wass in the North Yorkshire National Park (see [1]).
As of 2002 the community numbered 28 professed nuns and two postulants. About 120 lay people, known as oblates, are associated with the monastery.
Previous abbesses include:
Stanbrook Abbey was the model for Brede Abbey in Rumer Godden's 1969 novel, In This House of Brede.

Laurentia McLachlan
Felicitas Corrigan
Hildelith Cumming