01 Aug July 2026 Digest

Welcome back to Mucknell Abbey, for a look at what’s been a quieter month – for us at least. The various wildlife with whom we share our land have been plenty busy, especially the swallows swooping and diving around, and occasionally finding their way into the Oratory. Fortunately they are intelligent enough to stay reasonably calm, and usually find their way out within a few hours.

Regular readers may recall that last year we employed a cook for the first time; we’ve since gone our separate ways, and so following another round of advertising and interviewing, we’ve been delighted to welcome Lisa to work here. She started with us on July 21st, and is quickly getting settled in. She’s previously worked at a retreat centre, and is very much enjoying being back in a similar environment – just as we’re enjoying her calm presence and tasty food!

Round the Grounds

In common with much of the country, we’ve had a long spell of hot weather and almost no rain, and so the grounds are looking fairly parched; the largest of our three swales has been dry for several weeks now, as has the pond by the hermitage. Br. Adrian has been very busy trying to keep some of our most recently planted trees watered.

One beneficiary of all this, though, is Noah the Mower, who is enjoying something of a summer holiday:

We are enjoying the usual abundance of bird and insect life – I’ve had to rescue several grasshoppers from inside the building in recent weeks. Other sightings/hearings include a particularly handsome roe deer buck, a family of partridges, some swifts, a hobby, hares, and lots of bees and butterflies.

Kitchen Garden and Orchard

The kitchen garden and orchard are both doing well; we’re currently enjoying courgettes, tomatoes, beans both french and runner, and carrots. The squash plants are growing abundantly, as ever, and so we look forward to a good harvest in a few months. We’re also right in the middle of the plum harvest, which is looking as plentiful as ever.

Friends’ Afternoon

On Saturday 25th, we held our annual Friends’ Afternoon, giving an opportunity for members of our Friends Association to spend an afternoon at the Abbey, joining us for None and Vespers, with a talk and afternoon tea with the Community in between. This year, we heard from Br. Jonny, who spoke about life here at Mucknell in the late Anglo Saxon period:

In a superbly researched presentation, Br. Jonny explored the possible life of an Anglo Saxon slave working the land on what is now the monastery’s estate. He talked about both the social organisation of the time and also changes in the landscape, the evidence of which can still be seen in local place names today. The image below shows what the watercourses would have looked like without the benefit of more modern field drainage.

Following Br. Jonny’s talk, we enjoyed a cream tea together, before sharing in Vespers.

If you’d like to know more about our Friends Association, or would be interested in joining, click or tap here: Mucknell Abbey Friends Association. Friends receive a twice-yearly newsletter, as well as invitations to events such as our Friends Afternoon.

General Synod

For a number of years, Br. Philip has been faithfully attending the Church of England’s General Synod as one of the four Religious Communities representatives. As the current Synod ended its sessions with the recent meeting in York, with elections taking place in September, I was reflecting with Br. Philip about his experiences over the last five years. His favourite part of the whole Synod experience is the opportunity to meet, talk to and get to know such a variety of people with different opinions, ideas and backgrounds. He has always been very impressed with the way in which so many people are working with the best interests of the Church in mind, and are clearly devoted to the ongoing flourishing of God’s people. As many will be aware, one of the most difficult and divisive issues before Synod in recent years has been the response to Living in Love and Faith, or LLF. These discussions have been painful and challenging for many, but throughout, Br. Philip has spoken about the many opportunities outside of formal debates to meet people, talk with them, and remember that whatever “side” individuals may be on, we – they – are all God’s children first and foremost, and we are all part of the one body of Christ. At the time of writing, Br. Philip is uncertain whether he will be standing for re-election or not…watch this space!

Rocky’s Roamings

…or might it be better to say ‘Rocky’s Restings’?! Rocky has been spending a fair amount of time hiding from the heat in our undercroft; when I went to find him earlier today to take a couple of photos for his adoring public, he was, of course, in one of the most inconvenient of his little corners:

The heat notwithstanding, he is doing well, and even stuck his nose, if not much else, into the Community Sitting Room a couple of evenings ago.

And finally…

I’ve spent more time than usual with my grandparents over the past few months, as my grandfather has been in and out of hospital, both visiting him and keeping my grandmother company. It’s not always been easy to prioritise in the midst of increased busy-ness and concern. For a time in my early 20s, I worshipped with the Society of Friends (Quakers), and I’ve been reminded lately of a little nugget from Quaker Faith and Practice, “the book of Christian discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain”: Attend to what love requires of you. While this does not by itself answer every question, I have on many occasions found it a useful pointer, and a reminder that as we seek to live in the light of God’s love, we must also seek to share this love with, and show it to, all those around us, to the fullest extent possible. Amen.