NEWS RELEASES
It's the drink that did it
24th August, 2004
Men of a certain age who drank led to the establishment of a secret world in a rural Sussex location some 130 years ago. It will be seen as ironic today that the “demon drink” led to the creation of one of Europe's largest monasteries, a centre for prayer, reflection and contemplation in the heart of Sussex, about ten miles from Horsham. Yet this and other fascinating stories are told in a unique exhibition at Horsham Museum entitled 'Parkminster: An Opening on a Closed Order'
In the 1870s, the Carthusian order, made wealthy by the popular, alcoholic, green drink, Chartreuse, established a monastery at Parkminster, near Cowfold. Spending over £200,000 the order built a magnificent monastery that enabled the monks, who lived a closed, almost silent existence, to co-exist with fellow brothers who tended to their needs, such as farming, looking after the building, and attending to those who sought respite from the world.
At St Hugh's the order began collecting books and manuscripts from other monasteries that had either closed down due to political pressures in their home countries, or were surplus to requirement. Through this, and generous donations, the medieval monastic idea of a library took shape, was recreated, turning back the clock to 400 years ago after Henry VIII had ransacked the storehouses of knowledge. At Parkminster, however, instead of scribes creating books, the order established its own printing press and produced several of their own, the most magnificent being a bible or Bibla Sacra. Books from the library will be on display in this exhibition that tries to explore and explain this unique Sussex place. Along with manuscripts there will be photographs and illustrations showing the Victorian building and its inhabitants drawn from St Hugh's own archives. Whilst focusing on the past, thanks to the assistance of various brothers and the support of the Prior, the exhibition will also show contemporary life and answer many of the questions that people have about an order that is not open to women or even really open to the public gaze.
To add colour to the exhibition, watercolours by one of the brothers will be on display vividly portraying life in the monastery. These will complement the rich archive of black and white photographs that reveal the hidden depths of monastic life.
'Parkminster: An Opening on a Closed Order' will open on 11th September and run until 9th October 2004. It will be your only chance to find out about an amazing place that was built with the profits from the manufacture of alcohol, and a fascinating way of life that is so different to the everyday existence of most people.
Note: The monk's special 10% proof apple wine will be on sale to the public for the first time at the Union Jack Farm Shop near Cowfold (not the monastery itself) as part of the Horsham District's Food & Drink Festival (11 Sept - 3 Oct).
For further information please contact:
Jeremy Knight, Curator
Horsham Museum, 9 Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1HE
Tel: (01403) 254959
Fax: (01403) 217581
Email: museum@horsham.gov.uk
Opening times:
Mon to Sat (ex. bank hols) 10.00am -5.00pm
Admission free