Monastery of The Holy Spirit, Sheffield

Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk provided 18 acres of land at Kirk Edge and gave finance for the buildings which were to cover 300 square feet.

The project was described in the April 1871 edition of The Builder as: “A new institution for poor boys and girls of the Roman Catholic religion of the town and neighbourhood of Sheffield at Kirk Edge, near Bradfield, which has been prepared by Messrs Hadfield & Son, have been adopted by the committee and work is to be forthwith commenced.

The new wing opened on 29 June 1885, being built in stone at right angles to the rest of the building and heated by low pressure water pipes.

The Cardinal’s successful appeal for the new wing only staved off closure for two years, in 1887 it was announced that the orphanage was to close with water supply problems being cited as the reason.

The Duke of Norfolk presented the land to the Carmelites and about twelve sisters came from the Most Holy Trinity Monastery, in London's Notting Hill where the facilities were overcrowded.

A public chapel seating 150, new parlours and rooms for three lay sisters were built as well a 12 foot high stone wall which enclosed the grounds.