Douai Abbey
Upper Woolhampton, Berkshire
Benedictine monastery under the patronage of St Edmund, King and Martyr.
St Mary dates back 850 years to its Norman founder Jeffery Martell and is a chapel of ease for its mother church at Bucklebury. There is strong evidence to suppose that the church was founded in thanksgiving for miracles performed in the area by the relic of the hand of St James.
Norman features remain despite extensive restoration in the Victorian era by the high church Gothic revival architect William Butterfield. There are some excellent stained glass windows by CE Kemp. St Mary has the third oldest bell in Berkshire, cast in 1336 by Peter de Weston.