Wherever you drive to in England, there is always an old ruined abbey, waiting to be visited. We found one in the Cotswolds. Hailes Abbey, founded in 1246 and long ago a celebrated site of pelgrimage.
The Cistercian abbey was founded in 1246 in Gloucestershire by the Earl of Cornwall in thanks for surviving a shipwreck. Though never housing large numbers of monks, it held a renowned relic, ‘the Holy Blood of Hailes’ – allegedly a phial of Christ’s own blood. After the dissolution in 1539 just a few of the cloister arches remained, together with the foundations of the church. Today it is a beautiful and serene spot for a picnic in the Cotswold countryside and everyone in the family can be guaranteed an interesting, relaxed day out at Hailes Abbey. I found in fact two moms with babies, enjoying the grass fields and the arches.
The perfect spot for a summer picnic...
Or to have a romantic meeting. One could not ask for more.
Along the left over door ways and arches and stones, I’m close to imagine some monks coming up to meet me. They would be dressed in brown cloth, sandals on their feet, a shepherds stick, and a slightly devlish look in the eyes.
They always spook me a bit, the wax statues of Monks and likes found in musea. The above one was looking straight at me. I swear. Without blinking an eye...
The other brother had his eyes more on infinity. Which I prefer. I don’t like staring monks, nuns, priests, name it..
The small museum on the Abbey grounds shows us some treasures found at the excavation place, monks or not, they could build. How many times have I said that over the course of my travels in England.
With very primitive means, no power tools and no electricity, with only a simple pully system of wood and ropes, they managed to build up to the sky. In God’s honour, the most beautiful stone carvings I have ever seen.
It is amazing that details going back centuries still are so clearly visible. This one is depicting Christ fighting with evil. Evil being a crossing between a goat, lion and ram. Hard to tell. All we have to remember is that it is about the fight between good and evil. Always.
All over the site are the plaques telling us about historic facts or guesses. There was a class difference already in 1200, as we had monks and lay brothers. The latter being the work horses of the abbeys. They did the household while monks devoted their time to God and study. I think I would have been a better lay brother then a monk.
I could have worked at the abbey’s farm. Feeding the pigs, cooking some in the medieval kitchen. Not the heavy job of course like shearing sheep and herding them to market.
Even a lay brother has the right to an easy life.
The chapter house and the stuff going on in there would have been over my head. I do not see me sitting on those damp clammy stone seats, for hours in a row, listening to a head monk having his say. No ipods in that time to distract a little...
Mr Wonderful is studying all the plaques with an audio guide to his ear. I can’t do it. I can only do one thing at a time: snapping and following the audio tour is too complicated.
I usually ask Mr Wonderful what was going on if I need to know more. He is eager to tell me. We are matched...
And next to the ruined abbey lies a present day small church. More about that one in a next installment.
We have to spread the Godly stuff... It is strange that I am so attracted to old churches and ruined abbeys... if you consider my hate for nuns and priests.
Maybe my personal tiny God is hidden in between old stones... where silent voices still reside...
I do find this architecture so comforting - so sturdy and still here while all the nonsense of those centuries has faded away. There is hope in that.
Posted by: Christine | 04 December 2009 at 05:24 PM