Benedictine abbeys: keeping ancient crafting traditions alive

Aspects of Benedictine monastic life have recently featured on BBC television as part of a series.

'Heaven Made' shines a light on communities of monks and nuns in the UK and Ireland, who share the imaginative craftmanship and skill used to create beautiful handmade products. 

The programme starts with Galway's stunning Kylemore Abbey, a former Victorian castle and estate, now home to fourteen nuns. Their innovative Christmas hampers were to have a new addition, boxes of hand made chocolates.

The series also features St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, in Surrey and Quarr Abbey near Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Film crews spent around 4 weeks filming at Quarr, focusing on all different aspects of life there and the products they make on site.

Each Abbey nurtures important links with the local rural community who embrace their creative crafts and sustainable methods. On The Isle of Wight, tenant farmer Matt Legg works alongside agile former farmer, 76 year-old Fr Gregory and supplies free range meat for the cafe.

The series is available to watch:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00129kt