At the junction of Park Street and Tower Street stands a building many people pass every day without ever knowing its story. Mitre House — now home to The Sangha House — has lived more lives than most Taunton landmarks. It has been a place of devotion, of civic ambition, of quiet service, and now, of community wellbeing.
And as efforts gather pace to secure the building’s future through community ownership, newly rediscovered newspaper clippings have revealed a heritage that feels almost cinematic in its depth and colour.
A Procession in White Veils
In the late 19th century, the site was home to the Convent of Perpetual Adoration — a community of French sisters brought to Somerset by the Bishop of Clifton. One clipping describes the laying of the foundation stone of their new chapel in extraordinary detail.
The nuns, “in their full choir costume wearing their large white veils and cloaks,” processed through the grounds behind a cross‑bearer and torch‑bearers. Clergy in gold vestments chanted psalms as they moved toward the spot where the altar would one day stand. A sister carved the stone herself, inscribing it with the emblem of the Blessed Sacrament and the names of all the professed sisters.
It is hard to imagine such a scene unfolding on Park Street today — yet the echoes of it remain in the building’s bones.
A Jubilee of Song and Stillness
Another clipping recounts the Jubilee of the Order’s arrival in England. The celebration began at six in the morning and continued until evening, with high mass, visiting clergy, and a chapel “handsomely decorated” with flowering plants.
But the most striking detail is this: the sisters maintained continuous prayer, day and night, for decades. At any hour, one or more of them would be found kneeling before the altar, offering prayers for the world beyond their walls.
It is a lineage of care and contemplation that resonates uncannily with the wellbeing work happening in the building today.
A Civic Vision for Taunton
In the early 20th century, the Town Council purchased the property — then known as Paul’s House — recognising its strategic importance for the town’s development. A newspaper of the time called the decision “wise,” noting the building’s commanding position opposite the Crescent field and its potential role in shaping a new civic centre.
The site had already lived many lives: a Carmelite monastery dissolved under Henry VIII, a French convent, a civic asset, and now a centre for movement, meditation, and community connection.
Few buildings in Taunton carry such a layered story.
A New Chapter: Community Ownership
Today, The Sangha House is working to secure the building’s future through a community‑owned model. The response so far has been heartening:
- The Crowdfunder has reached £1,010
- Investor pledges stand at £36,000
- A surveyor’s early view reports no urgent structural issues and a very competitive asking price
Alongside this, a new charity — The Taunton Wellbeing Community Foundation — is being established to ensure that people facing financial hardship can continue to access wellbeing services. The aim is to have it in place by November.
“We’re not just saving a building,” says co‑director Andy Spragg. “We’re honouring its past and shaping its future. This has always been a place where Taunton comes to heal, reflect, and reconnect. We want that legacy to continue.”
How to Be Part of the Story
For those who feel a connection to the building — or simply to the idea of community‑owned wellbeing — there are three ways to help:
- Contribute to the Crowdfunder
- Express interest in investing
- Explore becoming a trustee
Email The Sangha House if you are interested. Andy.spragg@thesanghahouse.co.uk
A House That Has Always Belonged to the Community
From the chanting of psalms to the quiet hum of yoga classes… from the silence of perpetual prayer to the laughter of wellbeing groups… from a carved foundation stone to a modern community campaign…
Mitre House has always been a place where Taunton gathers.
And now, for the first time in its long and extraordinary history, the people of Taunton have the chance to make it truly their own.