Stanbrook Abbey Part II
A faithful companion, talented in looking after rosaries and decade rings, sitting with us on the train from the Westcountry to Worcester.
Incidentally, whilst we didn't see much of the city, we're led to believe - by the stonking great big and beautiful Cathedral sitting on the bank of the River Severn, mainly - that Worcester is a hellish place to visit, even if you have no interest or business in Stanbrook. We walked down the main shopping street (albeit at a quarter past seven in the morning) and it seems to be quite gezellig.
Without further ado, Stanbrook!
These views of Stanbrook will have to be a big exercise in detachment, because the community are planning to move. You can read this on their website (I've linked to it from the sidebar on the right). They've purchased a place in North Yorkshire and are seeking a buyer for their property. It's a bit gutting for lots of people - including VA and PP! - but the decision has been made (it was made years ago, so it's not as though they're rushing into anything) and it's going to happen.
So enjoy the pics and remember that nothing material on this earth is forever.
Unlike Buckfast, where you can get a glimpse of the monastery depending on where you stand and if you know in which direction to face, Stanbrook does a pretty good job of presenting one side of the building to the world and utterly deceiving (ok, that word's quite strong) people as to how big it is. There are, I'm told, four cloisters in the monastery, two of which look very similar (which could be tricky for a new postulant finding her way around....).
Benedictus montes, Bernadus vales amabat.
There does seem to be some kind of time-space-warp thing going on between the retreat house and the church when one's inside the enclosure. I'm sure that I and Sister Julian left St. Mary's at the same time for Midday Prayer, but that she got there before I did. Or perhaps she just jogged there - but that would be contrary to the Rule, right? Oh well. I like my time-space-warp-thingy theory.
This is the entrance to the monastery. We pressed the bell to get in to visit the Bookshop, although we were sorely tempted to pull that bell-thingy-doo-daa and see what happened, but eventually decided not to. Immediately beyond here are the parlours.
The East end of the Abbey church and, on the left, the visitors' chapel.
The entrance to the visitors' chapel. Once again, apologies for the blurriness: I offer again the explanation given before.
Beyond this door there are some shelves with the Office folders that visitors may use should they wish. It can get pretty complicated! Stanbrook - how, I'm not entirely sure - manage to get the whole Psalter done in one week with just five Offices each day. Talk about hardcore (we don't have Desert Fathers sitting atop of poles doing it in one day anymore...)!
Herewith all the photos of the monastery visits. VA returned home to the Netherlands and I trundled back to the Westcountry. I have some more pictures of Dartmoor, from a day I spent out walking, but I'm not sure whether I should post them here, because this thing is entitled PP en VA op vakantie, after all.
Reader feedback is welcomed!
Incidentally, whilst we didn't see much of the city, we're led to believe - by the stonking great big and beautiful Cathedral sitting on the bank of the River Severn, mainly - that Worcester is a hellish place to visit, even if you have no interest or business in Stanbrook. We walked down the main shopping street (albeit at a quarter past seven in the morning) and it seems to be quite gezellig.
Without further ado, Stanbrook!
These views of Stanbrook will have to be a big exercise in detachment, because the community are planning to move. You can read this on their website (I've linked to it from the sidebar on the right). They've purchased a place in North Yorkshire and are seeking a buyer for their property. It's a bit gutting for lots of people - including VA and PP! - but the decision has been made (it was made years ago, so it's not as though they're rushing into anything) and it's going to happen.
So enjoy the pics and remember that nothing material on this earth is forever.
Unlike Buckfast, where you can get a glimpse of the monastery depending on where you stand and if you know in which direction to face, Stanbrook does a pretty good job of presenting one side of the building to the world and utterly deceiving (ok, that word's quite strong) people as to how big it is. There are, I'm told, four cloisters in the monastery, two of which look very similar (which could be tricky for a new postulant finding her way around....).
Benedictus montes, Bernadus vales amabat.
There does seem to be some kind of time-space-warp thing going on between the retreat house and the church when one's inside the enclosure. I'm sure that I and Sister Julian left St. Mary's at the same time for Midday Prayer, but that she got there before I did. Or perhaps she just jogged there - but that would be contrary to the Rule, right? Oh well. I like my time-space-warp-thingy theory.
This is the entrance to the monastery. We pressed the bell to get in to visit the Bookshop, although we were sorely tempted to pull that bell-thingy-doo-daa and see what happened, but eventually decided not to. Immediately beyond here are the parlours.
The East end of the Abbey church and, on the left, the visitors' chapel.
The entrance to the visitors' chapel. Once again, apologies for the blurriness: I offer again the explanation given before.
Beyond this door there are some shelves with the Office folders that visitors may use should they wish. It can get pretty complicated! Stanbrook - how, I'm not entirely sure - manage to get the whole Psalter done in one week with just five Offices each day. Talk about hardcore (we don't have Desert Fathers sitting atop of poles doing it in one day anymore...)!
Herewith all the photos of the monastery visits. VA returned home to the Netherlands and I trundled back to the Westcountry. I have some more pictures of Dartmoor, from a day I spent out walking, but I'm not sure whether I should post them here, because this thing is entitled PP en VA op vakantie, after all.
Reader feedback is welcomed!
posted by puella at 10:16 a.m.
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