You can see Quarr Abbey from the car ferry to Fishbourne, nestling among the trees on the shore. Passengers enjoy taking various guesses at what it could be.

One person is overheard saying, “That’s one of the island prisons" while another pipes up: "No, I think it might be the Anglican cathedral".

In actual fact the Abbey - Quarr from the shallow quarries nearby - is home to a small community of monks.

However, there is a point of similarity: like a prison, it has cells where these men of God live. The defining difference is that the monks have chosen to be here. Their cells are special places. In them, they ponder the word of the Lord and pray. French architect and monk Paul Bellot designed the abbey church and monastery.

The church was made with Flemish bricks involving around 300 Island workmen. Work commenced in April 1911 and the church was dedicated on October 12 1912. To help them open their hearts to God the monks withdraw from much that goes on in the modern world.

The centre of the monastery is the private cloister that surrounds a garden, whose cultivation parallels the spiritual work of allowing God to make the soul beautiful just as he makes the flowers grow. Essentially it is a hidden life. That does not mean, however, that you can’t see any of it. You can be present at any of the worship in which the monks come together in the church.

If you are an early riser, you can be there for Vigils, the first service of the day at 5.30, or for lauds, the service of praise at 7.00.

The main act of worship, however, is the Mass at 9.00 celebrating the living presence among us of the Lord Jesus. The monks are nearly always joined by others for this.

Short services follow at 1.00 and 2.20. The monks take lunch and have recreation together between these. 

If you are present at the end of the afternoon, you can join the monks for the evening service of Vespers at 5.00.

This, like the final service of the day, Compline at 8.00, is in Latin, the traditional language of the Church.

You can also visit the Pilgrim Chapel, a place to pray or light a candle, which features the wooden altar from the monks’ first Island home in Appuldurcombe.

You can also join a tour of the Abbey. Meet at the Abbey Shop at 11am on the first Tuesday of the month, or any Tuesday throughout July and August.

On these tours you will be able to see areas where visitors are not normally allowed, including the Sanctuary of the Abbey Church and the carved Choir Stalls where the monks come seven times a day to pray. There is also a chance to ask questions.

You can even choose to escape the frenetic world and spend time staying at the Abbey guesthouse. There are 10 rooms which offer the opportunity to enjoy solitude and silence. All meals are provided. Lunch and supper are taken with the monastic community in the Refectory.

Monks do many other things besides worship. Bookbinding, beekeeping, building, painting and writing are among them so that, as the Rule of St Benedict says, “God may be glorified in all things.
The Benedictine motto is “Peace”, towards which the monks’ balanced life of work, prayer and being together is directed. You can share this peace, by spending time in the nearby walled garden.

Visit the refurbished and improved Teashop, which now features a Farmshop offering a range of local island products plus organic fruit and vegetables grown in allotments at the Abbey by local charities.
The inviting new menu and daily specials cater for a wide variety of tastes - offering simple, imaginatively prepared food at exceptional value. Tuck into a Quarr Abbey Cream Tea or enjoy cakes and pastries stuffed with Abbey fruit and vegetables and Island produce.

The Teashop also serves speciality coffees, roasted locally from a fine selection of beans, along with a variety of teas. The stylish decor and traditional wood-burning stove makes this a great place to sit, refresh and enjoy views of the beautiful garden all year round.

There is an Art Gallery, displaying work by Island artists, and a shop, filled with an array of gifts including candles, rosaries, greeting cards, t-shirts and even CDs of the monks singing in the church. It also stocks a wide range of children's, monastic and spirituality books. There is one about the life of the monks: 'A Deep and Subtle Joy: Life at Quarr Abbey'.

To them, it is not a prison, but a place where they can be set free.