There can be few, if any, more delightful and peaceful places than the Diocesan Retreat House of the Anglican Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle. It is set in many acres of beautiful grounds not far from the small village of Riding Mill, Northumberland. The house itself is spacious and comfortable, and all its rooms will have been converted to en-suite by next summer. 

Shepherd's Dene can be reached with relative ease by car, by bus, or by rail and taxi from the station.

But please note - there are only 15 places for each of the two retreats. It is best to book early to ensure you get a place.

Cost:
Four-day retreat - £235 (£35 deposit)
Six-day retreat - £335 (£45 deposit)

To have a booking form for either a four-day or a six-day retreat sent to you, please email your name and address to the Priory at * or download a .pdf (Adobe) file to print out and mail to us.

For the past two years the St Antony's team has run individually guided retreats at Shepherd's Dene, near Riding Mill, Northumberland. These have proved so popular and pressure from numbers has increased so much, that an extra week has been added.

In 2009 the retreats will be run from Monday, July 27 to Sunday, August 2 and Monday, August 3 to Sunday, August 9.

Each retreat will seek to enable each person to engage deeply with God in an atmosphere of silence and prayer. Each person is offered a retreat director to accompany him or her through the time of the retreat. The retreatant and the director meet each day for about half-an-hour, when guidance for prayer and meditation will be offered for the following day. This guidance is particularly useful if someone is new to this type of retreat.

Art material will be available, and other forms of creativity are encouraged in the days of retreat. Massage will also be available by prior arrangement.

More details will be sent to those who book a place on one of these retreats. All meals are conducted in silence. There will be a daily Eucharist and shared silent prayer each evening.