INTERVIEW
Beyond the imposing red
brick walls of Quarr Abbey
there remains a mystique and
intriguing way of monastic life
that very few of us have ever
really seen, writes Peter White.
The large Abbey stands just a few hundred yards
from the busy road that links Ryde with Newport.
Yet once inside the grounds, you somehow feel a
world away from modern day life as hustle and
bustle gives way to peace and tranquillity.
But maybe not all is quite what it appears to be to
the many visitors who congregate at Quarr Abbey
each year – to pray in the impressive church of one
million bricks; to wander through the gardens, feed
the pigs, or just sit and reflect over a drink and
meal at the Abbey’s cafe.
In this exclusive Island Life interview, Benedictine
monk Father Luke gave an interesting insight into
what life is really like at Quarr Abbey, a monastery
that has stood on its present site for more than a
century.
Father Luke became a monk nearly 25 years ago,
and has been at Quarr Abbey almost nine years.
He is one of just eight monks who now live and
worship at the monastery. As we sat at a tea garden
table in the grounds to talk about his life as a
monk, bells chimed peacefully in the background.
And it soon became apparent that modern day
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