Father Alban Crossley, the Benedictine monk and former Guestmaster of Ampleforth Abbey, has died in York Hospital at the age of 86.

Fr Crossley was born in Farnworth, Lancashire, and first joined the monastic community at Ampleforth in September 1955.

Between 1958 and 1961 he took a degree in physics at St Benet’s Hall, Oxford, then from 1961-1965 studied Theology at Fribourg University in Switzerland. Fr Alban was ordained priest on July 18, 1965.

From 1968-1979 he worked in the Junior House of Ampleforth College, where for many years he was assistant housemaster.

When he retired from that role in 1979 Fr Alban enjoyed a sabbatical year studying liturgy in the USA, Rome, and a number of European countries.

On his return to Ampleforth Abbey he was appointed master of ceremonies and liturgy, and then in 1990 became assistant priest and then parish priest in St Mary’s, Brownedge, Bamber Bridge.

In 1996 he was appointed parish priest of Our Lady and St Chad, Kirbymoorside, and its chapel of ease at St Mary’s, Helmsley.

For many years Fr Alban was involved in the scout movement both locally and nationally. He began as a scout leader in Ampleforth College Junior House in 1965, and other roles included work as county chaplain in North Yorkshire (1969-1985), assistant and then leader trainer in North Yorkshire (1972-1986), District Commissioner for the Ampleforth District (1981-1990), and Chief Commissioner for Roman Catholic Scouts from 1985-1990.

In 1999 Fr Alban was appointed to the Monastery of Christ the Word in Zimbabwe, a foundation established by the monks of Ampleforth Abbey in 1996.

He remained in Zimbabwe until 2010. On his return to England he worked in St Austin’s parish, Grassendale, before his appointment as Monastery Guestmaster at Ampleforth Abbey in 2012.

In recent years Fr Alban’s health declined and he became less mobile. Fr Alban died peacefully in York Hospital on February 2, 2021, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and a day of prayer in the Catholic Church.

Funeral arrangements are being made in accordance with coronavirus protocols.

The reception of the body into the Abbey church at Ampleforth will be on Sunday February 14 at 8.15 p.m. There will then be a private funeral mass at 11.30am on Monday February 15, followed by burial in Monks’ Wood.

Links for audio-streaming and video-streaming the services can be found at the Ampleforth Abbey service times web page