Aylesford Priory

Aylesford Priory, known locally as The Friars, is a Carmelite friary set on the banks of the River Medway just outside Aylesford village. The community was originally founded in 1242, making it one of the earliest Carmelite houses in Europe, and it retains an unusual place in the order's history as the site of St Simon Stock's vision. After the Reformation the buildings passed into private ownership and were used as a country house for four centuries, before being bought back by the Carmelites in 1949 and restored as a working friary.

Today the site combines medieval and 17th-century domestic ranges with a large open-air shrine and a series of chapels decorated by 20th-century artists, notably the Polish ceramicist Adam Kossowski, whose vivid tile murals cover several walls. The main pilgrimage area, the Rosary Way and the peaceful riverside grounds are open to visitors, along with a tea room, bookshop and pottery.

The Priory hosts pilgrimages, retreats and conferences throughout the year, and is used by groups of many faiths as well as Catholic visitors. The medieval stone bridge over the Medway at Aylesford is a short walk away, making it easy to combine a visit with a stroll through the village.