HERMITS AND HERMITAGES

HERMITS AND HERMITAGES

Hermits were a very common feature of the Middle Ages. This life style was copied, in some instances, from examples found in the Old Testament in which we read that it was the habit of certain ascetics to go into the desert to meditate and fight out their spiritual battles in solitude. St. Anthony of Egypt, who was born around 251A.D., lived in a hermitage near the Red Sea and founded a monastery. The prophet Elijah was another. St. Simon Stylite, a Syrian monk, spent many years sitting or standing on top of a pillar protected by railings. At first the pillar was six feet high but later the height was increased to fifty feet. Celtic monks often lived on remote islands. For example, St. Cuthbert went to the Farne Islands where he later died. St. Giles spent some time living as a hermit before he became an abbot. St. Benedict was first a hermit and later the founder of a monastery. The founder of Crowland Abbey, St. Guthlac, was formerly a hermit. Many of the great monastic houses such as Durham grew from similar simple roots as these. Of the monastic orders the Carthusian life style is the closest to that of the hermit, each monk living in isolated cells with no unnecessary contact between brothers or lay brothers.

In the C13 the Popes took several hermits under their wing. At that time many women were living as anchorites in Europe.

Robert of Knaresborough, who died in 1218 A.D. lived in a cave. During the C14 many of the people who lived in this manner were prominent writers. Hermits figure greatly in folklore. For example, Sir Lancelot is supposed to have ended his days as a hermit grieving for Queen Guinevere. In the C18 people built hermitages in the grounds of their estates and hired some obliging rustic to add a vestige of authenticity. As recently as the 1950’s a ‘hermit’ was employed by a church in York; All Saints’ North Street.

Present-day hermits practice a similar lifestyle. Sister Wendy Beckett lives in a caravan, she was recently the protagonist of an entertaining television series on the subject of art.

In the Medieval Era hermits often acted as bridge keepers and maintained roads in addition to collecting alms and praying.

Anchorites differed from hermits in that they ‘stayed put’ in the same place. Anchored in a small cell for many years if not for life. The majority of them were women. In the C12 rules were laid down for anchorites. They were allowed a servant to fetch and carry. Funding had to be agreed. Often the townspeople arranged to provide necessities for the anchorite. Clothing was regulated so as not to confuse the wearer with regular orders. One rule was, no hair shirts or clothing made from hedgehog skins. Anchorites were the medieval equivalent of ‘counselors’ and often listened to confessions. They offered up prayers on request from the populace. One noted C14 Anchorite, Mother Julian, lived in a cell adjoining the church of St. Julian in Norwich – hence her name, her true name is unknown. she was the first woman to write a book in English. The book was entitled Revelations of Divine Love. She was visited in her cell by Dame Marjorie Kemp in her quest to learn more about spiritual matters. Marjorie Kemp made many pilgrimages in her search for enlightenment. She journeyed to Rome, Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela as well as to many shrines in England.

Some of the services offered by hermits were prayer, counsel and prophesy. Henry V, on his accession in 1413 A.D., visited a hermit in Westmister Abbey to ask for guidance.

HERMITS IN PONTEFRACT

There were many hermits living in Yorkshire, at least ten in the city of York and many much closer to Pontefract.

St. Helen’s Church, which stood near to the almshouses next to the present Hope and Anchor Inn on Mill Dam Lane had a female anchorite attached. This practice continued for around three hundred years. In 1401 A.D. Emma Sherman is named as being the anchorite. In 1464 A.D. the name Alice is recorded and in 1486 A.D. Margaret was in residence.

In 1372 A.D. John of Gaunt allowed William of Bingham to repair houses where St. Thomas had been beheaded. He lived there as a hermit. There are early C15 records of a hermitage on St. Thomas’s Hill.

In 1213 A.D. a hermit named Peter of Pontefract and his son were executed at Wareham by order of King John. According to Shakespeare’s play ‘King John’ Peter had prophesied, “That ere the next Ascension Day at noon, your Highness should deliver up your crown”. For which impertinence the outspoken Peter was duly hanged on the aforesaid Ascension Day at noon. Notwithstanding, his prophesy proved truthful in as much as King John lost power and was forced to sign Magna Carta in 1215 A.D. and died in the following year.

The hermitage under Pontefract General Infirmary on Southgate was first recorded in 1386 A.D. We read that Roger de Laythorpe gave it to Brother Adam and eventually it became the property of the monastery of St. Oswald at Nostell. Used until the Reformation the Hermitage consists of an oratory and a living room with a well-chamber to the rear. The garden in which the Hermitage was originally situated was at one time the property of Mr John Marsden. The Hermitage is sited to the south of Southgate and the north of Friarwood. It is only accessible from within the building of P.G.I. the two chambers, cut from solid rock, are approached by descending sixty-two steps. It was discovered after centuries of oblivion in 1874 A.D. when workmen laying drains broke through its roof.