WORK has started on restoring Gorton Monastery - one of Greater Manchester's most treasured buildings - after fund-raisers secured the £6m needed.
Contractors moved on site yesterday to start survey work.
The go-ahead was given after urban regeneration company New East Manchester (NEM) was granted £1.8m from the European Regional Development Fund. Further European money may be on the way. The award caps seven years of fund-raising.
The European money and £4m from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, will pay for the restoration and the creation of the Pugin Centre. Augustus Pugin, Britain's foremost 19th century architect, designed the monastery. He is best known for helping to design the House of Commons.
The former church and adjoining friary will host major conferences, exhibitions and events and will have education and training suites.
Three permanent exhibitions - on Pugin, St Francis and the East Manchester Museum - will also be housed in the friary. Visitor and community facilities will include a caf', bar, restaurant and craft shop.
Opportunities
Banqueting rooms and a private chapel will be available for hire, allowing the monastery to host weddings and family occasions once again.
Monastery Trust director Elaine Griffiths said: "The monastery will become a fascinating place for visitors.
It is also creating arts, education, training, enterprise and employment opportunities in the area.
Having this unique cultural centre in our midst will really put the heart back into Gorton.
"We are grateful to so many friends and supporters who have helped us over the past seven years. This is a great day for us all".
Tom Russell, chief executive of NEM, said: "This is a significant milestone in the restoration of Gorton Monastery which has been achieved thanks to the efforts of the Monastery Trust and the tireless work of many individuals involved."
The Monastery Trust of St Francis and Gorton was set up seven years ago to help preserve the 19th century building, which is named with the Taj Mahal and Pompeii on the World Monuments Fund listing of the most endangered heritage sites in the world.
The new-look monastery is expected to open to the public in late 2006.
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My mother Elizabeth Tynan, used to clean the steps of the Monastery for one shilling when she was 10 years old. She used to give her mother sixpence of that!! She attended St Francis Primary School and is now aged 81. She lived in Gorton as a girl and during WWII. We used to visit the building as children. Thanks for the story, I found it online and passed it to her by email.
I lived in Cromwell St West Gorton. Married at St Marks Clowes St. . Came to Canada 1967. But still I am, at heart a lancashire Lass. Often I would go with my friends to the most beautiful Monastery During the war when you sat in this place of peace ,one felt so sure that the lord was also there . No need to be afraid, All our troubles just shrank, and once again we could cope.
Hello Manchester. I am so very pleased, and proud of the many people who have worked so hard to bring our beautiful monastery back to it's former glory . I left England 37 years ago. My dear friend Marie keeps me in touch with all that is happening in my dear old west gorton . Where my heart still lives. God bless you all.
Great to see this building being restored, my great grandfather (same name)donated one of the statues outside the church and my maternal gran had the chippie on the other side of Gorton Lane, spent many a shool holiday in the early 60s eating free chips and Hollands pies their.