St Dominic's Priory Church (formally named "Our Lady of the Rosary and St Dominic") between Hampstead

Hampstead

Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...

 and Camden Town

Camden Town

-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...

, London NW5, is one of the largest Roman Catholic churches in London.

Location

The church and priory

Priory

A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...

 are in Southampton Road just south of Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...

 and close to Belsize Park

Belsize Park

Belsize Park is an area of north-west London, England, in the London Borough of Camden.It is located north-west of Charing Cross and situated on the Northern Line. It borders Hampstead to the north and west, Kentish Town and Gospel Oak to the east, Camden Town to the south east and Primrose Hill...

. The nearest stations are Belsize Park

Belsize Park tube station

Belsize Park tube station is a London Underground station in Belsize Park, North-West London. The station is on the Edgware branch of the Northern Line, between Chalk Farm and Hampstead stations, and in Travelcard Zone 2. It is located at the northern end of Haverstock Hill...

 and Chalk Farm tube station

Chalk Farm tube station

Chalk Farm tube station is a London Underground station near Camden Town in London. The station is on the Edgware branch of the Northern line, between Camden Town and Belsize Park stations, and in Travelcard Zone 2. The station stands at the junction of Chalk Farm Road/Haverstock Hill and Adelaide...

s both on the Northern Line

Northern Line

The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...

 Edgware

Edgware

Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....

 branch, and Hampstead Heath railway station

Hampstead Heath railway station

Hampstead Heath railway station is in London on the North London Line, between and stations. Since 11 November 2007 it and the service there have been run by London Overground.The typical service at the station in trains per hour is:...

 on London Overground

London Overground

London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...

.

History

The Dominican Friars

Dominican Order

The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...

 came to the area in 1861 with a community of Friars in the Priory, a community of Dominican Sisters nearby in Constantine Road and a group of Lay Dominicans who meet each month at the Priory.

The priory was opened in 1867 and the Priory Church dates from 1883.

Community

Both friars and sisters serve a large parish community, with a weekend attendance of about 900 men, women and children. Friars and sisters are also engaged in a wide range of local social activity including hospital, university and school chaplaincy, adult education and third level teaching of theology, scripture and philosophy, publishing, post-graduate study, and preaching. It is also the residence of the Provincial of the Dominican friars in England and Scotland. Next to the church is the RC primary school of St Dominic.