Life within the Community
Although it is difficult to imagine the life within the community of St. Monica’s convent in the 19th century, extracts from the Chronicles of the Canonesses and “Rebuilding the walls” give some flavour of the life of the nuns at Spetisbury.
When the community first moved to Spetisbury “In order that there should be no break in the choral life, part of the community, under the subprioress Sister Mary Frances Tancred, went before and put the house in order, while the rest remained at Amesbury. As soon as all was ready at Spetisbury, these nuns began regular life, while those left behind at Amesbury collected the remaining removables and brought them to Spetisbury. All were settled in their new home by December 21st 1800; a school was opened at once and was soon in a flourishing condition”
When the nuns first moved into Spetisbury House, they had much to do to make the building suitable for a religious community. As the Chronicles state “we kept choir in the large Drawing Room next to the refectory while the chapel was being made ready in the place where the school now stands which was part of the stabling when we bought the house”
Apart from running the school for young ladies, the nuns also made small objects for sale. According to Miss Taunton, “The Nuns here work for sale. I have the Pleasure of seeing the pretty things but am not a purchaser: Mrs Taunton & Fanny bought as much as came to nearly two pounds. They make Bell Ropes, Work bags, Thread paper, Netting Cases, Ridicules, Watch Cases, Card Cases, Purses, Pincushions in the form of Books, Needle Books a Regiment of Soldiers & the Needles are the Spears &c &c &c.”
On 10th February 1809 there were Jubilee festivities for the 200th anniversary of the foundation of St. Monica’s, Louvain. Celebrations lasted several days.
On April 14th 1814 Napoleon made his unconditional surrender at Fontainebleau, and as the financial condition of the community still remained difficult and uncertain, they made a fresh attempt to obtain some of the money owing to them in Flanders. They drew up a statement concerning the financial position of the community and presented it to Bishop Collingridge, Vicar Apostolic of the Western District.(Appendix 31). Underneath the statement is written “ the ladies, not knowing the state in which their church, house, etc., are at present, have not inserted any estimate of that loss; the whole, they hear, has been sold and part pulled down. They are entitled to claim indemnities also, as they conceive, for those losses when they can be duly estimated”
(The nuns were never indemnified and, in spite of their school, were for many years exceedingly poor. In the archives are a number of letters from lawyers and bankers, showing how, over and over again, they tried to procure at least part of the principal which was owing to them, or, failing that, even part of the interest on this principal. In one letter they are advised to apply to the Austrian Foreign Minister in London, Count Esterhazy, asking him to bring his influence to bear. A small part of what was owing them from the Bank of Vienna appears to have been eventually recovered, but nothing more.)
On 17th July 1819 the community celebrated the 25 years since their arrival in England and had a Mass of thanksgiving for all the blessings and kindness received since their arrival.
In 1829 the nuns started building a new chapel. This was financed by Mrs. Tunstall, the same lady who had bought the house for them in 1800. “These ladies expressed much gratitude to the nation at large; and particular obligation to a lady, Mrs. Tunstall, widow of Marmaduke Tunstall, who boarded with them, and built them a private chapel, over the entrance of which her arms are placed.”
The nuns had obviously asked for contributions of money to help with the construction of the chapel. A letter written by Sister Catherine Berington to George Haydock, a priest at Penrith and brother of one of the nuns at Spetisbury, says “Allow me to thank you (which I do most sincerely) for your good will to assist us towards our chapel, and, in the present case, I must request you will let the will stand for the deed, as I know a good missionary has many calls for his money. I never wished your good little sister to mention our building to you, but she could not be satisfied without doing so. Allow me, dear Rev. Sir, also to observe that the community has never been wanting in our gratitude to any member of your respectable family for past donations. The names of your two uncles and dear mother and sister, with their several benefactions, are on record. Yours also will, in due time, be added to them, without your contributing anything to our chapel. So your little sister need not be uneasy on that head.”
Mr. Peniston, architect, of The Close, Salisbury, was asked to design the Chapel and some of his sketches and plans still exist.
St. Monica’s Priory showing the chapel on the left
and further new buildings on the right
Further building work took place in 1835/36.“ The school for 'young ladies', which until then had been in the house itself, was built on the site of the old chapel.” The old chapel “was then quite pulled down and the school for the Young ladies built upon the site of it, as we had long experienced the inconvenience of having the school in the heart of the House and we were now obliged to take off some part of the rooms occupied by the Young ladies for the convenience of making passages to the new Choir and Chapel, both above and below.”
The new buildings included the Priests’ House (now the Village Hall) and the buildings which now form the present-day residences at St. Monica’s Priory. Again, Mr. Peniston designed them and William Knight carried out the building work.
St. Monica’s Priory showing the Priests’ House (Village Hall)
and other buildings to the right
Tithe Map of 1838 showing the Priory before any of the later buildings.
(Plot 66 is in the possession of Catherine Berrington, plot 65 to the north, a meadow, belongs to William Mackrell and plot 69 to the south, also a meadow, belongs to William Loader)
In 1837 almost the entire community went down with severe influenza and in 1840 a new infirmary was built. “During the course of this year the new infirmary was built, the apartments previously used for that purpose being very old and inconvenient. Also we lost, within a few months of each other, two young ladies in our school”
Towards the end of 1841 “the community was badly affected by the failure of Wright’s Bank but losses were less than at first feared.”
In 1842 the Bishop, Dr. Baines commissioned Dr. Brindle to conduct a canonical Visitation as it was 17 years since the last one! He “expressed great satisfaction at the regularity and good order in which he found the affairs of the house remarking that it reflected great credit on the Superior.”
According to Sister Mary Salome Wylie, “The Rev J.Brindle D.D. was Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, before Catholic Emancipation and the establishment of the R.C. Hierarchy. The Canonesses of St. Augustine, St. Monica’s at Spetisbury were, therefore, under his jurisdiction, a situation which apparently caused the previously independent Order some problems. The Vicars Apostolic didn’t quite know what to make of Religious women arriving in England, driven out of age-old houses on the continent by the French Revolution, while the Nuns, who had lived under an established Hierarchy, knew their rights and privileges and how to behave. In St. Monica’s Chronicles there are graphic descriptions of a well-meant muddle. The Vicars Apostolic tended to interfere with the government and internal arrangements of a Religious House, which they had no right to do, and the Sisters under this new regime were not at all sure of the attitude they should take and how much they should allow it. In the case of St. Monica’s it was particularly acute, for as “Exempt Religious” they were directly under Rome, though permission was given to reside in the “District”. And they could only apply to the Holy See by writing about the Vicar General through him, about him! Fortunately, there were high placed Catholic laymen to carry letters to Rome. The Rev.Brindle was a good, kind man but it was difficult, and under the first Bishops (at Newton Abbot) it wasn’t better.”
In 1848 the Bishop, Dr. Ullathorne, made his Visitation.
1852 was “a year of much sickness but only one death.”
In September 1855 the Right Reverend Dr. Vaughan was consecrated Bishop of Plymouth in the place of Dr. Errington. He made his first visit to Spetisbury and “expressed a very great interest in all that concerned our community and of this he has ever since been pleased to give us the most convincing proofs”
While they were still at Spetisbury, for some time there had been growing up an increase of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament which was encouraged by the Bishop. On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 1855, six years before their departure for Newton Abbot, the devotion of the Forty Hours was kept with great solemnity, a large stone statue of Our Lady was set up, and during this time, the general desire to give their lives to the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament became, one might say, more articulate among the community. The years 1856-1858 were marked by “a great increase and progress in this devotion” In 1856 Benediction was allowed every day in May and the Devotion of the Forty Hours before the Feasts of St. Augustine and the Immaculate Conception. They also resumed the Midnight Office, as “the numbers of the community had increased and their health was good.” In 1857 on the Feast of the patronage of Our Lady, the singing of vespers on Sundays and Feasts was resumed. In 1858, the community were granted the privilege of having the devotion of the Forty Hours no less than three times in the year and in1859 to have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on every First Friday and on all Feasts of Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin.
Since the whole community felt this increasing attraction to the work of Perpetual Adoration, in the firm conviction that he who had inspired their desire would give them the necessary help to carry it out, coupled with the “special lights” given to a very holy member of the community, the nuns laid the matter before the Bishop of Plymouth, Dr. William Vaughan, at his Episcopal Visitation of their convent in the summer of 1859. Then they offered a formal petition that this privilege of Perpetual Adoration might be granted them. After due consideration, the Bishop made application to Rome, and on March 15th 1860, by a Papal Rescript, Pope Pius IX approved the object of the petition. The nuns received the news on Maundy Thursday 5th April 1860 “to the great joy of the community.”
On 10th February 1859 there were celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the Foundation of St. Ursula’s, Louvain. The Bishop gave permission for the Chaplain, Fr. Agar, to have supper with the community in their refectory. The community room had been decorated by the pupils of the school.
The year 1860 was one of great importance to the community. “We may say that this year was one of greater interest to us than any other had been since the foundation of the House itself, since it was marked by two events so great as the establishment of the Perpetual Adoration and the purchase of the property at Abbotsleigh where it had been decided we should build a new Convent and Church.”
The Feast of Corpus Christi 1860 was chosen as the day on which to inaugurate perpetual adoration. The Bishop sang the Mass and afterwards made the nuns an address (Appendix 33) after which the nuns prayed “In Thy Name, O my Jesus, and confiding in Thy Divine assistance, and in the intercession of Thy Immaculate Mother, and our Holy Father, Saint Augustine, we, from this time forth, devote ourselves to Thy special service in the Perpetual Adoration of the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.”
Now that Perpetual Adoration was established, it was necessary for the nuns to find more suitable premises and greater privacy. “Allusion has already been made to the intended removal from Spetisbury. This subject had long been in the minds of Superiors who for several reasons judged it expedient and now especially for motives connected with the Perpetual Adoration, which seemed imperative.” After some consideration, with the help of Bishop Vaughan, it was finally decided to buy the property at Abbotsleigh, belonging to a Mr. Braine. The property was purchased on 13th February 1860.
On 16th April 1860, Mother M.Gabriel Poynter and M.M. Alphonsa Ryan, “in secular attire” went with the Chaplain, Father Agar, to visit the property and see what further buildings would be needed. They lodged on the way with the Franciscan Sisters at Taunton where they were very kindly received. After visiting the property which they found smaller than expected but in other ways very suitable, they continued to Plymouth to talk things over with the Bishop. He received them kindly, showed them around the Cathedral, schools, etc. and gave them lodgings for the night. The following night they again lodged with the Franciscans at Taunton. They also paid a “passing visit” to the Franciscans at Exeter and to the Cistercians at Stapehill “to whom the Bishop sent leave to recreate for a short time in honour of the occasion.”
On 30th August 1861 the English Bridgettine sisters, who had been residing in Lisbon, arrived to take over the house at Spetisbury. They occupied the school quarters. “During the time spent with the good Bridgettines we were greatly edified with their fervour and exactitude to their duties notwithstanding the smallness of their community.” (They numbered eight choir nuns, two novices and two lay sisters.)
On 1st October 1861 the community of Augustinian Canonesses departed for Abbotskerswell in Devon. The building at Abbotsleigh was not finished but they felt obliged to leave Spetisbury to the Bridgettines and were ready to put up with the inconveniences. The first five sisters set off on 30th September; Sr. M.Alphonsa Ryan (Procuratrix), Sr. M. Benedict Keon, M. Joseph Bachelor, M. Philip Leonards and Sr. Rose, lay sister. They were accompanied by the second priest, Monsieur l’Abbé Deireckx. “This was necessary on account of the Perpetual Adoration which as it was to cease at Spetisbury on Tuesday evening 1st October, they would be ready to take up at Abbotsleigh” There was to be no intermission of the regular life. The remainder of the community followed them the next day, the feast of the Guardian Angels.
The move from Spettisbury to Newton Abbot was not without its hazards. A special train with 22 trucks was organised to move the community and their belongings. The nuns had to disguise their calling by changing from their religious habits, to more conventional clothing borrowed from friends and relatives. The removal took place in the evening after dark. The Chaplain Canon Agar accompanied them and greatly helped in looking after the smooth running of the journey. The move was especially felt by the older members of the community even though they saw the move to be necessary. They arrived at Exeter at 7am the following morning, having travelled via Southampton, Bishopstoke and Salisbury. “Three omnibuses and 20 carriages conveyed the tired community the remaining 17 or 18 miles” to Abbotsleigh where they arrived about 11am. The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt.Rev. W.Vaughan, and clergy of the diocese were there to receive them. The Bishop had “caused flags to be set up at the Lodge and on the Tower” and was standing in the doorway to greet them. The villagers of Abbotskerswell, near Newton Abbot now had the addition to its population of thirty-eight Roman Catholic nuns belonging to the order of Canonesses Regular of the Lateran.
Sketches for the chapel by Mr. Peniston
The building work seems to have been carried out by William Knight, a bricklayer (and member of the church) living in Spetisbury. The carpentry was done by Mr. Wells and the plasterwork by Mr. Porter of Salisbury. Some of the accounts remain.
There are a series of letters from Mr. Peniston to Catherine Berrington, the prioress, written between April 1828 and September 1830 concerning the building of the chapel. (Appendix 32) It seems that the original plan was simply to alter and enlarge the original chapel but the plans grew until finally a completely new chapel was built.
In July 1928 he apologises for the delay in sending the enclosed sketch of alterations to the chapel and says that if the present chapel is to be retained there will be a screen to separate the congregation in the new part, but this will not impede the straight forward view of the ladies towards the altar. He will send a plan for a new chapel, so that it will be possible to calculate alternative costs. In August 1828 he again apologises for the delay in replying but says he is often from home. He recommends that the good Sister Procuratrix should not emulate the clown at the fair, who by displaying the contents of a purse, excites the cupidity of bystanders, and often leads, though somewhat surreptitiously, to a transfer of property. He recommends doing no more than securing building material, mainly bricks, for work in the ensuing spring. He has not wholly given up hope, if funds allow, of transfering the school room to the chapel, leaving more room in the dwelling house and asks if this looks like aiming at the purse of the Procuratrix.
Further letters discuss queries about bricks, timbers, laths and plaster, windows, the altar, doorways, and problems with Mr.Wells, the carpenter. Towards the end of 1829 he writes acknowledging the wish to fell some trees in the garden and suggests a few to be felled first in order to judge the effect. In one letter he says that he prefers to write instructions rather than visit because of a recent indisposition which he does not want to renew by exposure to the Dorsetshire hills and in another he states that he has returned from London with the gout and cannot visit. He says he cannot agree to the ladies’ wish to substitute corbels for columns and that the altar with its dressing and the painting should fill a large part of the end wall.
The foundation stone for the new chapel was laid on 21st March 1829 and the building was completed by 17th September 1830 when it was blessed by the Bishop Dr. Baines in the evening and opened the next day on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady. “However, on account of wet paint they only fully moved in on the following Sunday.”
The Church was about 60ft long, wonderfully built of hand-made bricks with two transepts. It was lofty and with a fine grained ceiling, beautifully made in wood. “The church, opened by Bishop Baines, OSB, Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, was a good, solid and lofty building, constructed primarily as a chapel for enclosed nuns and so had all the features proper to such an establishment. The nuns’ choir was situated in a transept to the right of and screened off from the High Altar and affording the people in the nave only a side-on view”
Various Directories of the time state “the Catholics here have a convent, with a very handsome chapel and school rooms attached at Middlestreet.” And “there is a good church erected in 1830 attached to the Priory, open to the public. The ceremonies are carried out in all the full splendour of Catholic ritual”
The High Altar at St. Monica’s Priory
St. Monica’s Priory showing the Chapel to the left