Hilfield Friary

Hilfield Friary Hilfield Friary is set on the edge of the Dorset Downs with magnificent views across the Blackmore Vale – rural England at its greenest.

Hilfield Friary is an intentional community of brothers of the First Order of the Society of St Francis together with volunteers, who are committing themselves to share in the Franciscan life and work of the Friary. There have been Franciscan brothers living here in a collection of what were once farm buildings since 1921, providing refuge for the homeless, the experience of community, and a place

for prayer, reflection and renewal. Today at Hilfield there is a particular emphasis on living and promoting the Franciscan values of care for creation, working for peace and justice, and seeking respectful dialogue with people of other faiths.

Scenes from the friary🎶All Creatures of our God and KingLift up your voice and with us sing! 🎶
06/09/2026

Scenes from the friary

🎶All Creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing! 🎶

What a lovely (if sometimes soggy) time we had at Greenbelt 2026! Thank you to all who joined us for offices at the Fran...
02/09/2026

What a lovely (if sometimes soggy) time we had at Greenbelt 2026! Thank you to all who joined us for offices at the Franciscan and Anglican Religious Communities chapel tent.

We had a wonderful time celebrating Jonathan and his new book last week! Available wherever you buy your books, and from...
28/08/2026

We had a wonderful time celebrating Jonathan and his new book last week! Available wherever you buy your books, and from the friary shop if you are visiting us

20/08/2026

Throwback Thursday!

Do you remember these two much missed and much loved Friars?

We've had some excellent food made from garden produce this week including this caprese salad made with tomatoes and bas...
20/08/2026

We've had some excellent food made from garden produce this week including this caprese salad made with tomatoes and basil grown at Hilfield! Yum!

Fresh from Greenbelt festival, ‘Francesco’ is an original song cycle inspired by The Little Flowers of St Francis of Ass...
19/08/2026

Fresh from Greenbelt festival, ‘Francesco’ is an original song cycle inspired by The Little Flowers of St Francis of Assisi, presenting the story of Francis as a living spiritual journey.

Raised in a wealthy merchant household during a time of social upheaval, Francis rejected the life expected of him and sought instead to follow the way of Christ. His conflict with his father, his experience of suffering and his embrace of poverty and service shaped a faith that was both radical and deeply rooted in love. His story offers a timely invitation to humility and care for creation, quietly challenging us to reflect on attachment, surrender, and the freedom found in following one's spiritual calling.

Created in early 2025 by singer-songwriter and actor Daniel Zappi, and performed together with award- winning actor, playwright, author and director Justin Butcher (Scaramouche Jones, The Madness of George Dubya, The Devil’s Passion, Walking To Jerusalem), 'Francesco' blends music, storytelling, and theatre to bring Saint Francis' vividly to life.

The performance at Hilfield will be on the eve of St Francis Day marking 800 years since his death.

The performance is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.

All profit from the event will go to the Amos Trust

To buy tickets or find out more follow the link in our insta bio, go to https://events.humanitix.com/francesco-hilfield
or scan the QR code

We hope to see you there!

Mary picked some amazing looking carrots yesterday! She's been taking extra special care of the carrot beds and it's cer...
19/08/2026

Mary picked some amazing looking carrots yesterday! She's been taking extra special care of the carrot beds and it's certainly paid off! These got used in lunch and supper yesterday with the carrots themselves being used in carrot and tarragon soup and the tops being turned into a pesto for a pizza base!

We are loving all our friary grown produce at the moment

On the 3rd of October we will be hosting a performance of Francesco as part of our celebrations for 800 years since the ...
17/08/2026

On the 3rd of October we will be hosting a performance of Francesco as part of our celebrations for 800 years since the death of St Francis. You can find out more about the performance and book your tickets by scanning this QR code, or by following this link: https://events.humanitix.com/francesco-hilfield

We hope to see you there!

July's after supper readings were taken from "Trans formations" by Alex Clare-Young, "Asking the beasts" by Peter Kevern...
16/08/2026

July's after supper readings were taken from "Trans formations" by Alex Clare-Young, "Asking the beasts" by Peter Kevern (a former brother), "You must live" a collection of Palestinian poems collated by Tayseer Abu Odeh & Sherah Bloor, and "Living with Contradiction" by Ester De Waal

All very different and interesting reads.

Last week we said goodbye to our bull, Lazarus. He's been with us quite a while and is now moving to join a new herd in ...
16/08/2026

Last week we said goodbye to our bull, Lazarus. He's been with us quite a while and is now moving to join a new herd in Herefordshire. We will miss him lots!

Address

The Friary, Hilfield
Dorchester
DT27BE

Telephone

+441300341345

Website

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