Tucked away in North London, just a short walk from Chalk Farm or Belsize Park station, stands one of the most astonishingly beautiful churches in England, and one that has become a true spiritual refuge for me: St Dominic’s Priory Church, home to The Rosary Shrine.

The first time I stepped through the doors, I wasn’t prepared for the feeling that washed over me. From the outside, the church is striking but doesn’t immediately give away the treasure that lies within. Once inside, it’s like entering another world. The hush, the light, the sheer height of the vaulted ceiling. It all draws your heart upward. It’s a place that holds both grandeur and gentleness. There’s something profoundly peaceful here, as though heaven and earth have drawn close.

Over time, it’s become one of those places I return to when I need stillness, when I want to marvel at beauty, or when I simply want to be reminded of the rhythm and richness of the Rosary. I’ve stood in the chapels in silence, knelt before the Sorrowful Mysteries with tears in my eyes, and found new wonder in scenes I’ve prayed through for years.

This church is more than a stop on a Catholic tour. For me, and for many others, it’s a space of encounter, where the mysteries of faith come alive. A place where the beauty isn’t just decoration – it’s a doorway to something deeper.

A Church with Deep Dominican Roots

St Dominic’s was built by the Dominicans in the late 19th century as part of the great Catholic revival that followed the re-establishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England. The foundation stone was laid in 1873, and the church opened for worship in 1883. It was designed by Charles Alban Buckler in a neo-Gothic style, intended to reflect the spirit of the Dominicans – simple yet soaring, dignified yet humble, always directing the heart and mind toward truth.

From the very beginning, the church was meant to be more than a parish, it was envisioned as a shrine to the Rosary, something the Dominicans have championed for centuries. Their charism is deeply rooted in preaching the Gospel and honouring Our Lady. St Dominic himself received the Rosary from the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 13th century, and the friars have carried that devotion throughout the world ever since.

There’s something reassuring about visiting a church still served by the order that built it. A group of Dominicans live here, pray here, preach here. Their presence gives the space a sense of continuity and purpose; it’s a home for a living community of faith.

Walking the Mysteries of the Rosary

The most unique and breathtaking feature of St Dominic’s is its side chapels, a physical journey through the 15 mysteries of the Rosary, unlike anything else in the world. As you step into the vast nave, your eyes are drawn down the long central aisle, flanked on either side by rows of glowing chapels. Each one is dedicated to a mystery from the life of Christ and Our Lady: Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious.

Walking through them is like stepping into a living Rosary. The chapels aren’t just decorative, they’re places of quiet encounter. Each one invites you to stop, reflect, and pray. Some feel joyful and full of light – the Visitation, for instance, with its bright stained glass and warmth. Others, like the Crucifixion or the Agony in the Garden, are shadowed and solemn, echoing with suffering and love. You notice new details every time: the look on Mary’s face, the placement of a small lily or crown, the interplay of gold leaf and candlelight. It’s in these small things that wonder takes root.

I’ve walked this path slowly, in silence, on grey days when I just needed to be still. There’s something powerful about seeing the whole story of salvation told not just in words, but in architecture, art, and light. These aren’t distant events. In this space, they feel near, intimate, and real.

What I love most is how the entire church invites you into a rhythm, not rushed, but contemplative. You find yourself praying without effort, just by moving from one mystery to the next. It becomes a pilgrimage of the heart, with Our Lady gently leading you by the hand through the life of her Son.

More Than a Shrine

While the chapels are the heart of the Rosary Shrine, there’s a stillness that permeates the entire church, a sense that this is holy ground, shaped by more than a century of prayer. The space is vast, yet it never feels cold or distant. Instead, it feels deeply alive. There’s incense in the air, flickering candles before side altars, and sunlight catching on stone and stained glass in the quietest, most beautiful ways.

The high altar and sanctuary draw the eye forward and upward, echoing the great Gothic churches of Europe, but there’s nothing showy here. It’s reverent and restrained – a place that reminds you what you came for. The Dominican choir stalls and altar are reminders of the church’s living tradition: this is a place where the Rosary is not just displayed, it’s prayed. Where the Mass is not simply attended, it’s cherished.

When I’ve brought visitors here, it never fails to move them. They often stand in the nave with wide eyes and a kind of quiet reverence. There’s always a moment, usually around the Sorrowful Mysteries, when someone whispers, “I didn’t know something like this existed in London.”

It’s one of the reasons I love returning here, not just for myself, but to introduce others to it. It’s a reminder that beauty and holiness are still present in our city, often just a few steps off the beaten path. And that even in the middle of busy London life, there’s a place where the soul can breathe.

Planning Your Visit

St Dominic’s is open daily, and visitors are warmly welcome, but check their website as they are only open at certain times of the day. Mass is celebrated throughout the week, and the friars offer confessions and devotions regularly. If you can, time your visit with one of their candlelit Rosary processions, walking the mysteries with flickering light and sung prayer is an experience you’ll never forget.

Whether you come to pray, to marvel at the chapels, or simply to sit in peace for a while, you’ll find that this is a church that gently opens itself to you. It doesn’t overwhelm. It invites.

And if you’d like to come with someone who knows the story behind the stones and can guide you through the Rosary as both prayer and pilgrimage, I’d love to show you the wonder, peace, a sense of being known and loved this church evokes in its visitors.

It’s not just a beautiful church. It’s a place where heaven feels just a little bit closer.