An urban oasis

The Cloister Garden is a beautiful urban oasis created within the nave of the old church, which was burnt down in 1977. Thirty years later in 2007 the cloister area was extensively refurbished to create a sensory garden with a water feature, sensory planting, new seating and a labyrinth. 

The vision for the project has arisen from the desire of the church to enhance the existing space for the use of the wider community. North Ormesby is a community with very little green space; most residents live in terraced housing with no gardens.  The Cloister Garden provides a much appreciated safe open space for the people of North Ormesby and surrounding area. 

Overlooking the garden is a quiet room, which is glass-fronted so that people can enjoy views of the garden, whilst taking time to reflect and pray.  A beautiful stained glass window called “The Journey” provides a focus for meditation in the room as well as a variety of resources and aids for prayer and reflection. Individuals are able to use the room for quiet and reflection, and groups for away days, therapeutic sessions etc.

We welcome individuals and groups to visit the Cloister Garden for quiet days or for a shorter times of peace and reflection.  The Trinity Centre and Cloister Garden are accessible for wheelchair users.

The central feature to the garden is a Labyrinth which is constructed from reclaimed bricks and slate to reflect the architecture of the church which surrounds it.  The design is unusual and people see different symbols within it e.g. the Tree of Life or the Chalice of Wine and the Bread of the Eucharist. 

For thousands of years the pattern of the Labyrinth has been used to aid prayer and meditation all around the world. The most well known Labyrinth is in Chartres Cathedral in France. It has been walked by pilgrims for centuries and discovered to be a place of personal healing and closeness to God. Whether you are a person of faith and prayer or someone who simply wants to spend some time in reflection, the Labyrinth can be for you. Unlike a maze, which offers choices and decisions about which path to take, the Labyrinth is a single path which always leads to the centre? At times it may feel like you are close to the centre only to be thrown back again, but it is impossible to lose your way. Walking the Labyrinth is a journey where your heart and mind are free to think and feel, without having to consider which path to take. 

The cloister garden is a member of the Quiet Garden Trust a network of spaces for peace and reflection open to the public in Britain and beyond.

There is a lot more to prayer than going to services, there is a long and rich tradition of prayer within Christianity to find out more follow some of the links below.

Julian meetings

Retreat Association

Sacred Space - the prayer site run by the Irish Jesuits

Pray as you go - Daily Prayer for your MP3 Player combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection in a new, ten minute prayer session every day.

Light a Candle

Visit an online labyrinth 

Pray the Labyrinth