Eric Middleton (M 58-69) has sent what will be a chapter in his latest book since it contains the recollections of some OSBs about their ‘Special Places’.

“Many of you found these places in the wonderful countryside of lakes, mountains and streams a welcome release from school! For a few, such as John Braithwaite or Darryl Davies, they were even to be found in my Chemistry lab, including ‘Spider Diagrams’. (I was Head of Chemistry after Cyril Wood, from 1958-1969: I worked as a Christian and as a scientist.)

For an older generation who had travelled further, Alfred Hoyle described his special place: Lake Titicaca in the Andes: ‘This is my place of complete relaxation, a place of peace, quiet and solitude - a complete rejuvenation -especially in winter as the lake is deserted. The water is deep blue, still, with just a whisper of a breeze. I am physically, mentally and spiritually refreshed. Once a wild deer slipped quietly into the water just a few feet away. It swam to a nearby beach, shook itself and started feeding on a leafy tree’. At other times Alfred would take fish such as rainbow trout from the lake. Perhaps best described as a ‘thin place’ where heaven and earth are very close.

For some it was fishing in a nearby river, which formed memorable occasions, leaving school behind. It was this open air life at St Bees which Norman Hudson remembers. It gave him the opportunity to get up into the hills to fish in Ennerdale and in adjoining rivers. The silence of the hilltops with only the buzz of passing bees, or the sound of moving water breaking it, was another world. They provided a form of sanctuary, found within a bicycle ride’s distance, and uplifted the spirits - ‘almost spiritual’ as some were to say. Norman was to find many wild places of a similar nature which uplifted his spirits. Many churches, such as tin shack churches in Madagascar or St Lucia, exuded vitality and a real sense of a super-natural power – ‘thin places’, as Norman said. Yet he really remembers St Bees from the places of beauty and tranquillity nearby.

A number of OSBs told me their special places were in the Orkneys.

Alastair often goes to Orkney for both work and pleasure. His favourite place of all time is to sit on the cliffs at Yesnaby on Mainland and gaze out to sea, knowing the next stop is the east coast of the USA. The cliffs are sheer, the stone is yellow and the wind can be just terrible- yet it is mainly so relaxing! His other favourite place is over the Churchill Barriers looking down on Scapa Flow. Alastair and his wife are now still active as archaeologists, living in a medieval village in Galloway – perhaps a long stone’s throw from St Bees.

Bill Roberts, one of my colleagues at St Bees, also finds something special in the Orkneys or Shetland. He and his family went to St Ninian’s and walked across the tombola to where there were the remains of an old chapel - and felt this uncanny, heightened awareness. ‘Not the only time I have felt something almost spiritual,’ said Bill, who wrote a poem describing his feelings at St Ninian’s Hoard.

Chris Pellant also wrote about special places in North Scotland: Achmelvich in Sutherland, and also in Inverkirkaig. Unusually, although I can personally identify with this, his special place was in Leeds General Infirmary, after he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer. Before the operation the professor of surgery talked about the possible prognosis. ‘The worst was that I may only have three months left, but may be cured. When I had left the ward I lay and thought things over and almost at once had a weird feeling of calm and peace and knew that I’d be cured and be OK.’ So, though not a special place like a mountain top or tranquil river bank, the experience then was almost spiritual and certainly life-changing.

One or two OSBs, such as John Hargreaves, wrote about practising mindfulness meditation, which had heightened spiritual awareness ‘in a more general, non-religious way’. John had been a very keen A Level chemistry student and an excellent prefect on Meadow House.

It was George Robson who chose Old Bewick Church as his special place, four miles south of Chillingham Castle. It is a real ‘thin place’ where time stands still. Old Bewick is located below a remarkably high and steep hill, which has atop it an ancient British hillfort. It is surrounded with ancient trees and just breathes history, serenity and a nearness to God. George also mentions Holy Island and Iona as further special places, which were very peaceful, yet often awe-inspiring.

So many found ‘places of presence’ in the hills and mountains, streams and waterfalls of the Lakes. I have a photo of Dacre Watson on the top of Great Gable on one of our ‘Three-quarter days’. There was often a spiritual dimension, which they couldn’t put into words. They were reluctant to attribute it to the Holy

Spirit, as up to that point they hadn’t believed in God, but perceived there to be a presence they had not known before (despite compulsory daily chapel!). This wonder of heaven and earth being very close came from their own experience. For many it was music which provided special times and places – choir under Donald Leggatt or chamber music for William Alp, Robert Clerey or John Coles.

After exploring special places with fellow pupils from my own school in Newcastle, I found I became overwhelmed just by people I met on the way, my dentist, barber, musicians, even boxers. Then one day I was turned round by talking to Darren, the British Gas engineer who had come to mend our boiler. We got talking in the garage, Darren and I. He had experienced the wonder of mountain tops, Scafell and Striding Edge as well as looking down from the nearby Roseberry Topping and High Cliff. These were ‘thin places’, almost spiritual. If the ‘spirit’, as he was happy to call this presence, was present from mountains to lakes and rivers, then it must be everywhere – even in this garage! We were struck by the thought, as if knowing it for the first time. The Holy Spirit is indeed everywhere! This was confirmed by others such as Jamie the builder and people I began to meet further on the way.

A journey into the presence of the Spirit and finding the reality of the Spirit?

This set me really wondering about the presence of the Holy Spirit in everything, including St Bees’ sport, music, craftwork etc. Even TA (Tom) Brown was ‘excited by the poetry’, as he cheered the fine moves of the 1^st XV rugby team.

I was later to meet the presence on a plane over the Atlantic, and was given the gift of healing. It was a future student, Josh, healed from dark spirits, who affirmed, ‘I’ve more proof of the Holy Spirit than of new theories in ten dimensions!’”

 

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