Dhammakaya Meditation Centre of Newcastle

Come and join our meditation practice at our Centre. Meditation practices are held weekly on the following times and days:

1) Tuesday for beginner at 07.00 - 08.30 pm

2) Thursday, for intermediate at 07.00 - 08.30 pm

3) Sunday, for beginner at 02.30 - 04.00 pm

‘All the Best’, From the Dhammakaya Meditation Centre of Newcastle at St. Andrew’s Church. 

We hope that our Centre is a gift which is created for the Tyneside region. 

Our purpose is to bring meditation to the local community and promote world peace through meditation.

‘THEN and NOW’, From St. Andrew’s Church to the Dhammakaya Meditation Centre of Newcastle.

These nostalgic images are history of Church Streets’ iconic building from when it was first St. Andrew’s Church and then transformed into the Dhammakaya Meditation Centre of Newcastle.

The church has a landmark 190ft steeple, and was built mainly to serve hundreds of Presbyterian Scots who settled in Hebburn. The building was put up for sale and was bought by the Dhammakaya Centre, (which is based in Thailand and has centres in London, Manchester and Glasgow).

‘Community Church Through Time’, 

From St. Andrew’s Church to the Dhammakaya Meditation Centre of Newcastle. 

St. Andrews Church was built by Andrew Leslie, who encouraged education for his workforce. He subsidised the building of a new Mechanics’ Institute, comprising a schoolhouse, lecture and assembly rooms. The Church opened on Church Street in January 1872. 

It went on to be a focus for the community and was restored in 1985. Seven years later it was purchased by the local council to house business units and was used by the health authority.

St Andrew’s Church continued for more than a century, but for many years it then stood empty. It attracted around 30 planning bids, including schemes to use it as a brewery and a recording studio.

In February 2015 it was turned into a Buddhist meditation centre with a £500,000 refurbishment. Nowadays, St Andrew's Church has become part of the Dhammakaya Meditation Centre.

                In 1872, St. Andrew's Church in Hebburn, now a Grade 2 listed building, was built by shipbuilding magnate Andrew Leslie of the famous Hawthorn Leslie shipyard.

                In 2012, Phra Samhu Pichit Thitachayo, the Thai Buddhist monk who is an expert in the field of architecture, was appointed as the Abbot of Wat Buddha Newcastle (from Vice Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya Temple in Thailand). Since taking the position of Abbot, he decided to find and firmly establish a Buddhist temple. He then successfully found St. Andrew's Church in Hebburn.

                In 2013, Phra Samhu Pichit Thitachayo together with one Thai Buddhist monk and seven local and Thai people began to rejuvenate the church. Within three years of his time and effort, the old church building was completely renovated and has now become a magnificent place for meditation for the local people and Thai community. It is widely known to be the most successful centre for the community to come together to gain inner peace and happiness.

                We hope that Mr. Andrew Leslie, who originally founded this institution, would have been pleased to see that the buildings have found a new lease of life and still serve the community after so many years.

                On Thursday 25th January 2013, the Dhammakaya Meditation Centre of Newcastle team took over the St. Andrew’s premises and started to develop the construction of the building. Prior to any renovation, the false ceiling inside of the building needed to be carefully unpicked and the original structure exposed. To do this, the following procedure had to be carried out: carefully dismantle the ceiling boards, remove all electrical cables and retain all of the original timbers which were to be left ready for the reinstating of the ceiling.

                To get our work for peace completely done, we enshrined the main chapel’s ceiling with a Heavenly Star (Darasawan Rattanamani) and the crystal balls of seven colours, which were received with kindness from the praying of the monks.

                The massive restoration of this historic building was not an easy task.

                Luckily, the monastic life served this goal very well. The architect’s knowledge enabled the economical choice for quality materials and subtle integration of them into a stylish way. For example, the wooden floor is originally British, claimed as the best source of wood. This was sent to Thailand for processing where costs, including shipping, is less expensive. Moreover, many basic jobs, which required basic construction skills, but consumed most of the restoration time, such as painting, polishing, etc. - were completed by the monks themselves, and this significantly reduced the cost of the renovation.

                Nowadays, the former St Andrew’s Church, off Ellison Street, Hebburn  is opening its doors to host the occasion aimed at promoting human kindness.

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