It is the 27th of March and the monastery garden is finally ready for planting, after a winter of unprecedented rain – the Cherwell meadow has been flooded on and off since October last year!
Brother Julian has worked tirelessly to repair Green Street, the lane that runs north from the monastery gate. The wall is his work also, and he almost single-handedly cleared the site for the monastery garden.
Brother Alf and Sister Cyneswith have overseen the building of the garden beds inside the old Roman fort and on this day the feast of St Rupert1, we planted the garden’s first plant, a fennel plant.2
Bishop Godfrid sent a message to Sister Cyneswithe commending Rumwaldstow for our work towards the glory of the church.
Footnotes
- Rupert of Salzberg died just over 200 years ago in 710. He championed education and founded the Benedictine nunnery of Nonnberg.
- Fennel is named in the Nine Herbs Charm recorded in the 10th century