St Michael’s Abbey Tour

April’s event was a tour of St Michael’s Abbey, arranged by Jo Gosney. Nearly 40 of us turned up and were first shown into the church, where our host, the Abbot, Fr Cuthbert Brogan, gave an entertaining and amusing talk about the Empress Eugénie, the mausoleum and the abbey and its brotherhood.

Fr Brogan outlined the lives of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, the fall of their regime, their move to England and the tragic deaths of the Emperor and the Prince Imperial, who was killed in the Zulu War, in 1879, fighting in the British army, which were the catalyst for her move to Farnborough Hill. Appalled with their tombs in Chislehurst, Eugénie chose Farnborough Hill because it offered an opportunity to build a mausoleum worthy of the Imperial family, on a stunning site atop a nearby hill.  Upon completion, the bodies of the Emperor and the Prince Imperial were brought from Chislehurst and laid to rest. Eventually, in 1920, the Empress herself joined them.

Eugénie’s architect, Gabriel Hippolyte-Alexandre Destailleur, drew on a variety of ecclesiastical buildings in France as inspiration for the building, with an eclectic mix of references that somehow combine in a pleasing whole. Half of the building has recently been cleaned, giving an interesting comparison with the original patina. With three altars, the church is rather ornate, giving the impression of grandeur although in fact quite small.

By contrast, the crypt, with its dramatic rib vaulting, is very simple and deeply moving. As Fr Brogan took us inside, the mood of solemnity and reverence was striking. Truly, this is a fitting last resting place for an Imperial family.

Our tour concluded with a visit to the gift shop, where the brotherhood’s hand-made cards are available for purchase.