In 1795 a group of French refugee monks, fleeing the
Revolutionary terror, came to England and settled at Lulworth in Dorset. These
were the first Cistercians to return to these islands. A group of nuns followed
the in 1802, settling at Stapehill not far away. However, in 1817 the monks had
to return to France, as they were not allowed to receive novices in England.
They went to Melleray near Nantes. In 1832 a group of English and Irish monks
were deported from Melleray as non-nationals, and it is from this nucleus that
Mount Melleray in Ireland and Mount St. Bernard in England were founded in the
years immediately following".*
It has been busy - have to hide away to bed.
The Lulworth does not surface for the moment, but appears in older Website "Why Monasteries" *.
Thanks for the letter received after Compline.
God Love.
Interesting:
Monastery Farm, in the foreground.
The establishment of a Monastery at East Lulworth
A colony of six monks from the Abbey of Val-Sainte
arrived in London during the month of August, 1794. Their superior, Dom. Jean
Baptiste de Noyer, had received his appointment the preceding year. Their
intention was to proceed forthwith to Canada; but Providence had other designs
upon them. The late Thomas Weld, Esq., always ready to assist and harbour the
harbourless, invited them to Lulworth, where they arrived in October, 1794, and
placed them in the chaplain's house near his castle. Here they remained till
March, 1796, when they removed into a new monastery in East Lulworth, which he
had provided for them in a dry and sheltered situation,—the very reverse of the
old house of La Trappe. It was dedicated under the name of the Holy Trinity and
St. Susan, and here they increased and prospered. The first prior was John
Baptist, already mentioned. He quitted England in the summer of 1801, when he
was succeeded by Dom. Marie Bernard Benoit, who died in July, 1805. Dom. Maur
Adam was the third prior; but he was hurried to the tomb in May, 1810. Then was
called to the helm a very distinguished character, Dom. Antoinc Saulnier de
Beaureaund, a quondam canon of Sens Cathedral, and in every sense of the word a
superior man. Pope Pius VII., in consideration of his merits, raised him, in
May, 1813, to the rank of abbot, and as such he was blessed by Bishop Poyntcr,
in London, in the August following. Under his direction, La Trappe attracted
the attention and wonder of all classes. Every unprejudiced visitor* must have
departed from the sight of these holy men, delighted with their indefatigable
industry, their admirable frugality, and their cheerful and unaffected piety.
And yet persons were found who frightened themselves into the persuasion that
their example might contribute to the multiplication of such establishments in
Protestant England. Had they reasoned, had they inquired, their terrors must
have vanished; for in all Catholic France, before the Revolution, there was but
one single convent of La Trappe! Until the beginning of 1816, these good
religious had experienced the most profound tranquillity, when they had to feel
experimentally the force of Christ's words, "A man's enemies are those of
his own household." One James Power,t a native of Waterford, after seven
years spent in the order, decamped towards the end of January, 1816, and soon
after publicly abjured the Catholic faith in the parish church of Blandford.
Not satisfied with this scandal, the heartless man, on 16th March that year,
swore to several charges, as may be seen in the Appendix. But the unprincipled
apostate was soon after summoned before the tribunal of Heaven, to answer for
his hypocrisy, false testimony, and violation of his solemn vows. The result of
the business was, that the abbot, with much reluctance, decided on transporting
his establishment to France, as soon as circumstances would permit. On
application to the French authorities, permission was granted, and Lewis XVIII.
assisted the abbot in purchasing the ancient Bernardine Convent and domain of
Melleray, in the diocese of Nantes, and sent the La Revanche frigate
to Weymouth, to take on board their community, as also a lugger to convey their
goods and chattles to France. On 7th July, 1817, this band of holy monks,
fifty-nine in number, embarked, reached the French coast on the 23rd, and
entered their new monastery, with imposing solemnity, on 7th August. There, as
at Lullworth, they proved a daily source of benediction to the surrounding
country by their virtues and superabundant charity.* (2 Kings vi.) During their
stay at Lullworth, they buried twenty-seven of their brethren; viz. seven
priests, thirteen choir-religious, the rest postulants or lay-brothers.
