The monastery was founded by schemamonk Sophrony (Sakharov) in the spring of 1959 in Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex. It was under the jurisdiction of the Surazh Diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate and was established with the blessing of Bishop Anthony (Bloom) of Sergiev.

In 1965, after a conflict between Archimandrite Sophrony and Archbishop Anthony, the monastery, with the approval of Patriarch Alexy I of Moscow and all Russia, came under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

From 1959 to 1974, Archimandrite Sophrony was the first abbot of the monastery. On September 1, 1974, he left the position of abbot and became the spiritual father of the community, where he remained until his death on July 11, 1993.

The monastery grounds include a church in honor of St. Silouan of Athos, a domestic church of St. John the Baptist, a cemetery church of All Saints, as well as old and new refectories and accommodations for pilgrims.

The monastery is mixed, meaning that both female and male monastic communities live on its territory separately.