Friends of Little Gidding Newsletter
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A VIEW FROM LITTLE GIDDING ‘There are other places,’ wrote T S Eliot, ‘which also are at the world’s end, but this FRIENDS OF is the nearest in place and time, now and in England.’ If Little Gidding seemed like the world’s end to Eliot in 1936, how much more so must it have appeared to LITTLE GIDDING the Ferrars three centuries earlier, when they arrived at the old house and ruined NEWSLETTER church where Nicholas was destined to bring his cherished dream to fruition. Even as recently as the occasion of Eliot’s visit, the Great North Road was a narrow, January 2009 winding, single lane and the road through Glatton, beset with right-angle bends, regularly disappeared under two feet of water at the foot of Glatton Folly. That is GOODBYE … … AND HELLO how I remember it still. Eliot recalls ‘a midwinter Spring and a short day, bright During the autumn we said our ‘good- with frost and fi re.’ But when on a January day some nine years later, my father was bye’ to Tony and Judith Hodgson. Tony buried just a few yards from Nicholas’s tomb – a privilege he was allowed because and Judith returned to Little Gidding of his descent from the Ferrar line – the December snow had turned the land into a as Wardens in 2005, and their warm sea of mud. At that time the only access to the church was through the farmyard gate and generous hospitality has been a and thence through an entrance, long since obliterated, into the churchyard. signifi cant factor in re-establishing The cattle were most interested when people used this path and to this day Little Little Gidding as a centre of pilgrim- Gidding and mud are closely associated in my mind. During one short lifetime the age and spiritual discovery for many rural Church has changed almost beyond recognition. In my younger days most people. We wish them well as they country parishes had their own incumbent and the Giddings were a sole charge. It move to nearby Oundle, and expect to was common for clergy to stay for many years and to be valued and loved both as continue to see plenty of them at Little pastors and as members of the village community. I don’t really long for those days Gidding. to return (in any case, they never will) but I do remember them with affection. The new warden at Ferrar House is the At this time of rapid change and general uncertainty about the future of the Revd Catherine Lack. She fi rst came Church, I believe that Little Gidding is an important place: it represents continuity across Little Gidding whilst a student with a golden age of Anglicanism, the age of William Laud, Lancelot Andrewes, at Clare College, Cambridge, Nicho- George Herbert, John Donne, Richard Hooker and others like them, who embodied las Ferrar’s college, and she is also what was best in worship, spirituality and scholarship in both the Protestant and an Eliot person. A musician, she has Catholic traditions. The Ferrars breathed the same air that they breathed and it brought a grand piano with her, as was in that atmosphere that Little Gidding blossomed and fl ourished. Through well as her dog, Foxy. She has held a this holy place Nicholas speaks to us across the centuries, for ‘the communication variety of posts, including ten years of the dead is tongued with fi re beyond the language of the living.’ as Chaplain at Keele University and, Because it is anchored in such a tradition it is no wonder that Little Gidding most recently, at Yarl’s Wood Immi- has become a centre of pilgrimage, inspiration and hospitality, or that in recent gration Centre in Bedfordshire. years especially, so many dedicated people have considered it worth pouring out Catherine is settling in and making their souls in its service. It may even make history again: for as the light fails on her presence felt in all sorts of ways and a winter’s afternoon, in a secluded chapel, ‘history is now and England.’ we look forward to her contribution to Bob Torrens life at Little Gidding. Welcome! 12 1 THE T S ELIOT FESTIVAL 2008 For further details about any event, This Newsletter is published by the Friends to book a place or to book your own of Little Gidding. Charles Bennett attended the Eliot Festival event, please contact The Society of the Friends of Little Gidding The Revd Catherine Lack, last May and wrote this review of the day, is a registered charity, number 1102857, which like previous years was held in poor Ferrar House, Ferrar House, Little Gidding, Huntingdon, weather! Little Gidding, pe28 5rj. Huntingdon, It was raining as I drove up the undu- Cambridgeshire, The Friends of Little Gidding was lating lanes to Little Gidding. A mild pe28 5rj founded in 1946 by Alan Maycock, and gentle rain, exactly the kind of with T S Eliot as patron. The Society rain George Herbert might have telephone: 01832 293 383 was reconstituted in 2003 and seeks known. It’s tempting to imagine him email: [email protected] to celebrate the life and memory of walking up to see his friend Nicholas www.ferrarhouse.co.uk to talk about C Day Lewis and then, Nicholas Ferrar and those who in the Ferrar at Little Gidding. And tempting seventeenth century formed the fi rst in conclusion, three religious poets: too, to imagine a meeting out of time For an updated calendar and diary see Little Gidding community, making Blake, Milton and Dante. between Herbert and T S Eliot. www.ferrarhouse.co.uk/fhwebpages/ it a holy place; to help maintain the The mention of Dante was perfectly Such meetings between poets were fhevents.html fabric of Little Gidding Church; to apposite, as a theme began to emerge the focus of the third T S Eliot Festi- assist Ferrar House; and to celebrate which gently insinuated the events of val, held at Little Gidding in May (to the connection between Eliot and the day. After tea, Rosamond Richard- mark Eliot’s visit in May 1936). The Little Gidding. son delivered a seriously delightful Festival is a The main income of the Society is cross between subscriptions and donations from a village fête, a its members – people who love Little wedding and Gidding, whether for its history, its a vicarage tea air of spirituality, its peaceful beauty, party. It’s held its place as the inspiration for one for the most of the twentieth century’s greatest part in a mar- pieces of English poetry – or for the quee, where wonderful hospitality provided at we sit on wob- Ferrar House! bly chairs and Please help to support the Friends in hear the patter their work by visiting and by encour- of rain during aging friends and groups to visit, the fi rst speak- perhaps as pilgrims, for a quiet time, er’s event. Peter Stanford promises to or for an organized retreat or confer- talk about poetry and religion. But this ence; and by encouraging them to is too vast a topic, and in thoroughly consider joining the Friends of Little entertaining manner, he settles down Gidding. 2 11 LITTLE GIDDING CALENDAR 2009 and genuinely thought-provoking talk which imagined a meeting of Poetry evenings are held at 7.30pm on the 13th of each month. Eliot and Dante (both stroking a cat). Friday 13 February John Keats This was a powerful and really absorb- Friday 13 March A E Housman ing talk, delivered with moments of Monday 13 April Geoffrey Hill humour but searing with academic Wednesday 13 May Dietrich Bonhoeffer insight. There was a good deal of talk about fi re, and being redeemed from A Day of Prayer will usually follow the Poetry Evenings, often on the same, or fi re by fi re, which only made me shiver similar, theme. These are held from 10am to 4pm on either the 14th of the and turn up my collar. I wished I had month, or the second Sunday. worn warmer clothing. Not to men- ones to manage the mood perfectly. Sunday 8 February Day of Prayer tion waterproof shoes. He read some wet poems to begin After a spot of delicious supper, with, from The Drowned Book, which Quiet Days led by Ken and Guinette Davies thoughtfully prepared and served to really suited the atmosphere. He then the accompaniment of a jazz quartet, read some of his translations of Dan- Saturday 18 April ‘Post-Resurrection Encounters’ we returned to listen to Sean O’Brien, te’s Inferno – which completed the day Wednesday 1 July ‘Life’s Journey’ winner of the T S Eliot Prize in 2007. perfectly. Saturday 19 September ‘Recognising Pride and Learning Humility’ O’Brien is a marvellous poet and a As I drove away to the sound of a Wednesday 2 December ‘Behold the King’ really commanding but gentle and robin, a late Beethoven string quartet jovial character. His reading was the could be heard drifting into the evening Regular services at Little Gidding best I’ve ever heard, and he balanced from a recording being played in Fer- Sunday 29 March 3pm Evensong at Little Gidding longer dark poems with short witty rar House. It was a charming and very Sunday 31 May 6pm Pentecost Evensong at Little Gidding good day. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Next year I’ll wear my walking boots Other Meetings and Events and a fl eece! Wednesday 18 February 9pm to Sunday 22 February 12.30pm (depart by 2pm) Dr Charles Bennett is Programme Leader ‘Enlightenment Intensive’ for the BA in Creative Writing, University Cost £375, £75 non-refundable deposit.