Church and retreat house, Little Gidding, Huntingdon

A five-mile pilgrimage from George Herbert’s church at Leighton Bromswold to this site Anglican monastic revival has been established by the Friends of Little Gidding

Highlights

• Pioneering religious community
• Grave of Nicholas
• Ferrar, founder

Ferrar, the founder of Little Gidding, was the first place in England to revive monastic-style community life after the Reformation. This took place during the reign of King Charles I, less than 100 years after Henry VIII had banned such institutions. The king actively supported the fledgling community, one of many Catholic-style sympathies that so enraged Cromwell and his Puritans.

It was set up in 1626 by Nicholas Ferrar, a devout businessman who gathered together members of his extended family to live communally. They restored an abandoned church here and used it for a regular pattern of services. It was not a monastery by medieval standards, given that Ferrar lived here with his married brother and sister and their extended families. But they rose every day at 4 am for prayers (5 am in winter), with regular services throughout the rest of the day. Ferrar himself never married, and two of his nieces also decided to remain unmarried, choosing instead to serve the community of around 30 people.

Ferrar is remembered in the Church of England’s calendar on 4 December, the date on which he died in 1637. He is buried under a large table tomb just outside the entrance to the church, a peaceful graveyard setting for this brave little outpost of faith.

The church is a small, narrow building with a wood-panelled nave and a tiny chancel. It lies on the slope of a hill, with peaceful views over the Cambridgeshire countryside. The church is 40m from Ferrar House, a modern retreat centre offering hospitality to guests and visitors.

The community outlived Nicholas Ferrar by just 20 years, coming to an end following the death of his brother John in 1657. It attracted a lot of negative attention during the Civil War and Commonwealth, criticized as a nunnery and a ‘bridge to popery’ among other things.

One of England’s finest poets is also linked to this tiny but atmospheric church – George Herbert, whose wonderful verse graces one of the walls. He served as a priest at Leighton Bromswold 4 miles to the south and was a close friend of Ferrar, advising him on programs and forms of worship.

The church is also linked to the American poet T S Eliot, whose poem about Little Gidding forms one of his Four Quartets; quoting lines from any of his poetry, despite his own highly derivative writing style, requires a specific copyright license. He visited the church in 1936 and was a staunch convert to the Catholic wing of the Anglican church. T S Eliot was voted the nation’s favourite poet in a surprising BBC poll in October 2009.

The neighbouring Ferrar House stands on the site where Ferrar lived. It is now owned by the Little Gidding Trust, open for retreats, quiet days, and general accommodation. It has a small shop and dining facilities. The little church is looked after by the Anglican parish. A third organization, the Friends of Little Gidding, promotes both church and house as places of prayer and retreat.

An Eliot Festival is held here each year, and an annual guided pilgrimage has been started.

Directions

Little Gidding Church, Little Gidding, Huntingdon PE28 5RJ

www.littlegiddingchurch.org.uk (church)

www.ferrarhouse.co.uk (retreat house)

www.littlegidding.org.uk (Friends of Little Gidding)

W3W: drizzly.unrated.drape

GPS: 52.4211N 0.3442W

The church is down a cul-de-sac, 1 mile south of Great Gidding village. From the B660 at the northern end of Great Gidding, turn east along Mill Road by the Fox and Hounds pub car park. Drive along here for 1.2 miles and the turning to Little Gidding is signposted on the right. The church is open during the day.