Two special services will be held in the atmospheric riverside ruins of St Benet’s Abbey this month.
On St Benedict’s Day, this Friday July 11, people are invited to join a community pilgrimage walk, service and picnic from St Benedict’s Church in Horning to St Benet’s (a contraction of the name Benedict) Abbey, near Ludham.
Then the annual St Benet’s service will be held on Sunday July 27.
In one of the most picturesque of Norfolk’s traditions, the Bishop of Norwich, who is also Abbot of St Benet’s, will arrive by wherry to process to the site of the original Abbey high altar for a service. All are welcome.
The annual service is organised by the St Benet’s Community, which is being expanded and regenerated by the Revd Ben Bradshaw, rector of the benefice of St Benedict’s, and also Prior of St Benet’s. It is for anyone, male or female, married or single, interested in bringing inspiration from Benedictine spirituality into their day-to-day lives. Members are the modern-day heirs of the Benedictine monks who once lived, worked and worshipped in the abbey, and will pledge or renew their commitment to the Community at the July 27 service.
More than 1,000 years ago King Canute gave land near beside the River Bure to a group of monks to build the abbey, and there are stories of holy hermits living here even earlier. Five centuries later St Benet’s was the only religious house in England and Wales not closed by Henry VIII. Instead he gave it to the Bishop of Norwich and to this day every Bishop of Norwich is also Abbot of St Benet’s.
Info for July 11: Walkers should meet in the car park of St Benedict’s, Horning, with their picnics, at 10.30am. The walk will take around an hour, with a Eucharist service at noon, followed by a picnic for those who want to stay and eat in the Abbey grounds.
Info for July 27: The bishop will leave Ranworth Staithe aboard the wherry yacht Norada at about 1.30pm, and should arrive at St Benet’s at about 3.15pm, for the 3.30-4.10pm service. Organisers hope the bishop’s wherry will be accompanied by a second wherry yacht. There are still places for people to travel to and from the service by wherry and enjoy afternoon tea on the return journey – book through the Wherry Yacht Charter website.
Picture: Jason Bye